Mission Guaicaipuro

Misión Guaicaipuro (launched 12 October 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. The program is carried out by the Venezuelan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources; the program seeks to restore communal land titles and human rights to Venezuela's numerous indigenous communities, in addition to defending their these rights against resource and financial speculation by the dominant culture. The mission is eponymous with the famous Venezuelan indigenous tribal chief Guaicaipuro, who was instrumental in leading native resistance against Spanish colonization of Venezuela.