VO

Music Lyrics:

This is Caracas, the capital of Venezuela on a Wednesday night.

I bring you Revolution,

I don’t care what the media says

I bring you Revolution.

These are the ‘motorbikers’, known on the street as the ‘motorizados’.

Each week,100s of them race through central Caracas. This loud show of force is to remind all Venezuelans that the Bolivarian revolution, and its President Hugo Chavez, are here to stay.

Biker to camera

Long Live the President! Country and Socialism or Death!

VO

I have come to investigate these street militias, groups that the opposition claims are armed, militant and with controversial news reforms, about to become an official arm of government.

For the last nine years Venezuela has been led by Latin American nationalist revolutionary Hugo Chavez. Chavez is now proposing wholesale changes to his country’s constitution - including a 7 hour working day and a considerable increase in presidential power.

VO

Day to day across capital there are protests and demonstrations in favor of and against, the new constitution. Caracas, like Venezuela is a politically divided city.

The opposition claim they are harassed and intimidated by militias that support Chavez and his new reforms.

Woman

The bikers are just there to intimidate us. To make sure we don’t come out and protest. Those who are against the new reforms.

Leopoldo Lopez

Mayor of Chacao

These are hard days as the government is trying to impose a change in the constitution that would virtually legalize a dictatorship.

Where the president will have more and more power. More political, social and economic control.

VO

This is a right wing propaganda video. It portrays Chavez as returning to Soviet style repression and connects him to Al Quaida. For the Right, Chavez is a hate figure, responsible for every imaginable ill across the continent.

VO

I set off with one of the pro Chavez motorizados – intent on learning more about them and other groups in the poor hill top slums that for many Venezuelans are no go areas.

VO

I travelled with Benito who is a regular with the motorbikers.

Benito

Its clear that the biker gangs in Venezuela are at the frontline of the Revolution.

This is where my wife and I sleep. And over here the little and the elder children.

With the previous governments, the poor communities like us for example, those living in the slums, we were never cared for by any previous governments. This president is concerned with us people in the slums. No one cared about us before.

VO

Benito took me to a food and health centre that has been opened by the Chavez government.

Residents here feel supported and represented by their government. Their loyalty is absolute.

Elizabeth Martinez

My Country or Death with this president. Because if this president goes, imagine! People will fight not to give up what they got from him.

In the neighbouring SLUM of 23 January , I met armed men. These men are part of the extreme left who feel the only way Venezuela can continue is revolution is through force of arms – and that is with or without Chavez.

Comandante Santana

From here, we tell the President that the real Comandante in this Revolution, is the people of Simon Bolivar. And Chavez is just the Sub-Comandante. The people’s power is not in the ministries. The real power is here.

VO

Some of the resources in 23rd January are impressive. Here, in what used to be a police station and former torture center, are 80 computers with internet access at service of the community.

VO

Since the coup attempt by the right wing in 2003, the pro Chavez militias – such as the motorizados – became highly organised.

All over Caracas are the motor taxi points where they keep watch for possible opposition rallies.

This is one such rally – held by students in central Caracas.

The protest begins.

Soon enough, pro Chavez groups arrive.

Then the motorbikers turn up.

Biker

We take the streets to get respect and see how the others run!

Biker 2

The motorbike army is going to take the streets. And we will hit hard to get respect!

VOVO

These social militias are made up of Venezuelans who are desperate that their country does not return them to the economic exclusion and repression.

Their methods are not to everyone’s taste. Venezuela is a politically polarized nation where coherent dialogue between government and opposition is none existent.

The Chavez government’s move to incorporate these the numerous militias into official power is to be expected. But their inclusion will do little to heal the deep political divides in Venezuela.