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In South Bronx, Memories of Chávez and the Aid He Gave In South Bronx, Memories of Chávez and the Aid He Gave
(35 minutes later)
Lucia Solano became something of a stalker when Hugo Chávez visited the South Bronx in 2005.Lucia Solano became something of a stalker when Hugo Chávez visited the South Bronx in 2005.
Ms. Solano’s organization, Servicio Basico Educativo, was $18,000 behind in rent and faced eviction. Mr. Chávez, she was sure, could help. He was the controversial leftist president of Venezuela who was in town for a United Nations General Assembly meeting and seemed to be developing a soft spot for the South Bronx.Ms. Solano’s organization, Servicio Basico Educativo, was $18,000 behind in rent and faced eviction. Mr. Chávez, she was sure, could help. He was the controversial leftist president of Venezuela who was in town for a United Nations General Assembly meeting and seemed to be developing a soft spot for the South Bronx.
“I was following him,” Ms. Solano recalled, recounting the three events she attended for a chance to approach Mr. Chávez. “I finally was able to ask him for assistance, and he said, ‘I am not a God.’ I told him I knew he was not a God, but that I had a good cause.”“I was following him,” Ms. Solano recalled, recounting the three events she attended for a chance to approach Mr. Chávez. “I finally was able to ask him for assistance, and he said, ‘I am not a God.’ I told him I knew he was not a God, but that I had a good cause.”
Not long after the visit, Ms. Solano received a check to cover the back rent.Not long after the visit, Ms. Solano received a check to cover the back rent.
The contribution became the first of millions of dollars in charitable giving that would signify Mr. Chávez’s legacy in the South Bronx, a neighborhood filled with the kind of poor and working-class residents whose struggles struck a chord with the fiery populist leader. The memories of Mr. Chávez’s visit and his link to New York were recalled on Wednesday, the day after he died at 58.The contribution became the first of millions of dollars in charitable giving that would signify Mr. Chávez’s legacy in the South Bronx, a neighborhood filled with the kind of poor and working-class residents whose struggles struck a chord with the fiery populist leader. The memories of Mr. Chávez’s visit and his link to New York were recalled on Wednesday, the day after he died at 58.
His visit was the result of an invitation from Representative José E. Serrano, a Democrat from the South Bronx who had also once invited Fidel Castro to the neighborhood. Mr. Chávez, the congressman said, made it clear he did not want to visit “power brokers.”His visit was the result of an invitation from Representative José E. Serrano, a Democrat from the South Bronx who had also once invited Fidel Castro to the neighborhood. Mr. Chávez, the congressman said, made it clear he did not want to visit “power brokers.”
Instead, he spent several hours one September morning greeting local leaders at a community development corporation, where tables were set up and various groups distributed brochures as if the event were a college fair at a high school. Mr. Chávez stopped to chat with neighborhood advocates one by one, several people recalled, impressing everyone with his uncanny ability to recall obscure historical facts about each person’s home country.Instead, he spent several hours one September morning greeting local leaders at a community development corporation, where tables were set up and various groups distributed brochures as if the event were a college fair at a high school. Mr. Chávez stopped to chat with neighborhood advocates one by one, several people recalled, impressing everyone with his uncanny ability to recall obscure historical facts about each person’s home country.
“We expected, honestly, for him to walk through, say a few words and leave,” Mr. Serrano said. “Three and a half hours later, he was still there. ‘What’s the name of your organization? What do they do? How are you funded? Why did you name it that?’ He did this table by table by table. Then he would quote a poet, artist, politician or historical figure from Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic or wherever the person was from.”“We expected, honestly, for him to walk through, say a few words and leave,” Mr. Serrano said. “Three and a half hours later, he was still there. ‘What’s the name of your organization? What do they do? How are you funded? Why did you name it that?’ He did this table by table by table. Then he would quote a poet, artist, politician or historical figure from Panama, Mexico, the Dominican Republic or wherever the person was from.”
Mr. Chávez seemed to snap his fingers and order a member of his entourage to make money available or solve a community problem. He left people with the impression that he had looked at the South Bronx, saw the slums of Caracas and fell in love with the place.Mr. Chávez seemed to snap his fingers and order a member of his entourage to make money available or solve a community problem. He left people with the impression that he had looked at the South Bronx, saw the slums of Caracas and fell in love with the place.
He ended the morning dancing with a straw hat perched on his head.He ended the morning dancing with a straw hat perched on his head.
Out of that visit was born a community-relations program that would donate $5 million to grass-roots groups in the South Bronx, paying for a variety of projects, including the restoration of the Bronx River, after-school classes, literacy programs and food cooperatives.Out of that visit was born a community-relations program that would donate $5 million to grass-roots groups in the South Bronx, paying for a variety of projects, including the restoration of the Bronx River, after-school classes, literacy programs and food cooperatives.
The money came from Citgo, the American subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil company, which also provided oil to heat apartments.The money came from Citgo, the American subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil company, which also provided oil to heat apartments.
Today, the effort Mr. Chávez started is largely in tatters. The umbrella organization created by his country’s oil largess, Petro Bronx, stopped getting money after 2010, although other projects are being financed. Many of the organizations that Petro Bronx financed have folded, and the few that survived cut the programs. Ms. Solano’s organization received almost $300,000 from Citgo over three years, but the financing has not been renewed.Today, the effort Mr. Chávez started is largely in tatters. The umbrella organization created by his country’s oil largess, Petro Bronx, stopped getting money after 2010, although other projects are being financed. Many of the organizations that Petro Bronx financed have folded, and the few that survived cut the programs. Ms. Solano’s organization received almost $300,000 from Citgo over three years, but the financing has not been renewed.
“Citgo saw themselves as a U.S. corporation; they were leery of mixing a social movement with corporate goals and the bottom line,” said Félix Leo Campos, a New York City filmmaker who made a documentary about the community work that Mr. Chávez financed. “We were too lefty, and the direct line to Hugo Chávez was missing.”“Citgo saw themselves as a U.S. corporation; they were leery of mixing a social movement with corporate goals and the bottom line,” said Félix Leo Campos, a New York City filmmaker who made a documentary about the community work that Mr. Chávez financed. “We were too lefty, and the direct line to Hugo Chávez was missing.”
Fernando Garay, a spokesman for Citgo, declined to comment on the Petro Bronx program. The division that took over Citgo’s community projects, the Simon Bolivar Foundation, did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.Fernando Garay, a spokesman for Citgo, declined to comment on the Petro Bronx program. The division that took over Citgo’s community projects, the Simon Bolivar Foundation, did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
South Bronx’s love affair Mr. Chávez was not without its critics. He had emerged from a bruising two-month national strike and a military coup that led to his brief ouster. He was accused of making bold and illegal moves to consolidate power.South Bronx’s love affair Mr. Chávez was not without its critics. He had emerged from a bruising two-month national strike and a military coup that led to his brief ouster. He was accused of making bold and illegal moves to consolidate power.
Mr. Chávez was widely despised in places like South Florida, where many Venezuelans there consider themselves exiles of his regime. But this was the South Bronx. And in this Congressional district, among the nation’s poorest, Mr. Chávez’s anti-elitist rhetoric caught on. Mr. Chávez was widely despised in places like South Florida, where many Venezuelans there consider themselves exiles of his government. But this was the South Bronx. And in this Congressional district, among the nation’s poorest, Mr. Chávez’s anti-elitist rhetoric caught on.
“He related to the Bronx, because in so many ways it was just like the Latin America that he wanted to change,” Mr. Serrano said. “He felt very comfortable with the people, and the people felt comfortable with him. It was not an awkward visit. We can criticize his comments or the world leaders he befriended, but you can’t deny the work he did in the Bronx.”“He related to the Bronx, because in so many ways it was just like the Latin America that he wanted to change,” Mr. Serrano said. “He felt very comfortable with the people, and the people felt comfortable with him. It was not an awkward visit. We can criticize his comments or the world leaders he befriended, but you can’t deny the work he did in the Bronx.”
Mr. Chávez was perhaps remembered most fondly in the Bronx for the gallons of heating oil that began arriving about two months after his trip.Mr. Chávez was perhaps remembered most fondly in the Bronx for the gallons of heating oil that began arriving about two months after his trip.
Citgo has donated seven million gallons to the Bronx in the eight years since the program started, according to Citizens Energy, the Boston organization that manages the project.Citgo has donated seven million gallons to the Bronx in the eight years since the program started, according to Citizens Energy, the Boston organization that manages the project.
“Here was a guy who the corporate media tried to push us to dislike by saying, ‘This guy is trying to empower himself forever,’ ” said Julio Pabon, a City Council candidate who participated in a Citgo-financed food co-op. “That’s not how we saw him in the Bronx. In the Bronx, he was a guy who came here and talked about helping people so they didn’t get strung out trying to pay their heating bills.”“Here was a guy who the corporate media tried to push us to dislike by saying, ‘This guy is trying to empower himself forever,’ ” said Julio Pabon, a City Council candidate who participated in a Citgo-financed food co-op. “That’s not how we saw him in the Bronx. In the Bronx, he was a guy who came here and talked about helping people so they didn’t get strung out trying to pay their heating bills.”