For the first time since Spaniards occupied their territories in the 16th Century, Venezuela’s indigenous communities are on the verge of gaining legal title to their land. So why have they been protesting in the streets of Caracas? The anger stems from unmet expectations created by the government of new President Hugo Chávez Frías. As a presidential candidate, Chávez joined the Yucpa and Bari communities to protest coal mining in western Venezuela and promised to rescind commercial gold and diamond mining concessions in the Imataca Forest Reserve in the eastern part of the country. He also named Atala Uriana Pocaterra, a Wayúu Indian, as environment minister—the country’s first indigenous Cabinet member ever. And he promised to give native communities title to their traditional lands... [Log in to read more]