By William Camacaro (National Co-Coordinator)

I decided to visit the small Afro-Venezuelan fishing village called Chuao on the central coast of the state of Aragua to talk with Julio Cesar Moreno, better known as Diente de Conejo, or “Tooth of the Rabbit.” Julio was for many years an advisor to the government of President Chávez in the area of fishing and aquaculre. Largely thanks to his work, the country’s fishing law prohibiting trawl fishing in Venezuela was passed.

Chuao is a small town located between the mountains of the Henri Pittier National Park, the first established national park in Venezuela spanning ​​107,800 hectares. Located in the northern area of ​​the state of Aragua, it covers a large portion of Aragua’s coasts and the mountainous area of ​​the state of Carabobo, bordering the San Esteban National Park, the largest national park in the coastal area. Chuao is known for its cocoa production: it is believed that the best chocolate in the entire nation is produced there.

To get to Chuao you have to go to another coastal town called Choroni and take a boat. Former President Chávez once proposed to build a road to Chuao, but the locals opposed it because it was convenient for them to travel via fishermen’s boats, which generated income from transportation.

On May 4, 2020, news of the arrest of eight mercenaries on the coasts of Chuao appeared around the world. The intruders were apprehended by fishermen and police personnel, among them two U.S. mercenaries associated with Silvercorp USA, a security company that attempted a “private coup” to kidnap president Nicolás Maduro and obtain the $15 million that the government of Donald Trump offered for his capture, according to BBC Mundo. In the face of the failed operation, it was very striking that two policemen (a woman and a man) and a handful of brave fishermen were able to stop a maritime incursion by professional mercenaries who had a large military arsenal.

This civil-military union worked perfectly and the mercenaries were arrested against all odds. Chipilin (a well-known artisan from Chuao) and Diente de Conejo say that what began as a few inhabitants responding to the presence of gringo mercenaries quickly amassed to the whole town turning out to the seawall.

Diente de Conejo says that since the fishing law was approved, fishermen do not have to go to the high seas to fish. He notes that he has seen some species that were thought to be extinct and adds that there are many more and bigger fish. For Julio Moreno, the fishing law has made the life of fishermen much easier. The Bolivarian government has also gradually provided fishing equipment at very low cost through the Ministry of Fisheries in an exchange agreement with the Venezuelan state. The fisherman gives fish to the Venezuelan state, which in turn distributes it to food insecure communities at a very low price, providing fishermen with fuel for their boats in return.