What Remains

“He went out to buy diapers and he never came back…”

Juana

“The bullet holes are right outside my door - a reminder of where they murdered him, right outside his home…”

Aryelis

“I panicked. I was on my knees begging them not to kill him. They backed off, only because I had a panic attack. He’s in jail, innocent, and we don’t know what to do. But he’s lucky, he was spared…”

Georgina

Mothers, sisters, wives tell their stories of the men ripped from their lives during Special Police Forces operations in the neighborhood of La Vega. For years, this police force (FAES) have been scrutinized for terrorizing the working class neighborhoods (barrios) of Caracas, essentially criminalizing young men for where they live and murdering with impunity.

The neighborhood of La Vega became a microcosm of this deadly epidemic overnight. What the community has coined the “La Vega Massacre” was the catalyst: on January 7th, 2021 Special Police raided the hillside barrio, killing 23 people. For months after, residents endured raids, mass detentions and constant gunfire.

Since 2013, Venezuela has been rocked by an unprecedented socio-political crisis. Chávez’s successor Nicolás Maduro is now under investigation by the International Criminal Court - the first government to be under investigation in the Americas. This decision was made in part due to the estimated 18,000 people killed due to “resisting authority” since 2016 - of which a significant percentage are presumed extrajudicial executions as a strategy to maintain social control (Human Rights Watch).

As this violence rages on, this story remains underreported.

‘What Remains’ is an ongoing, long form body of work focused on these underreported realities of cyclical violence, repression by the State and the power of community. Particularly, this project centers the women of these neighborhoods who are acutely affected by these patterns of violence - not only as they grieve, but as they find ways to provide for their family, seek justice and heal. While they are often the most affected, women are also the driving force of the community: hosting activities, running food programs and providing support in any possible way.

The first chapter was based in the La Vega neighborhood documenting the aftermath of a State-sanctioned massacre. The second chapter is focused on El Setenta: a community victim to ruthless gangs and ‘limpiezas’ (mass murders by police). This chapter will have testimonies by residents affected by two powers: gangs and police. The rare periods of relative calm allow for reflection, but also raise questions: Will residents ever be free from these abuses? What does it mean to live and heal, on their terms?

What Remains speaks to the complicated realities lived in the barrios of Caracas, exemplary of a larger systemic issue, through a narrative that challenges stereotypical depictions of violence in Latin America. In a country where speaking out alone can be deadly, the women who are a part of this project embody courage, resilience and strength. Their stories bring important attention to the violence happening every day in Venezuela, and prove the beauty and solidarity that are salvaged in the face of injustice.