Photo By: César R. Pinto
The years have forced her to walk with that halo of fear that is implicit in the unknown, in the first times, in the new adventures. His sight almost always focuses on the floor, tries to dodge the gaps in the streets, sidewalks, and corridors of the area where he has lived for half a century, looks up every time a scream catches your attention: - Lilac !, enthusiastically sing men, women and children.
He stops, smiles and greets each of the people present by his name. Apparently she always has something to say or ask: How does your mom continue? How is college going? How is your sister doing when she left the country? Could you buy the other day I saw you in the queue? Are you already retired ?, gives the impression of being aware of the recent past of each of the interlocutors that is finding on the way home.
His straight hair invades the space of his glasses constantly, preventing him from seeing his small, but expressive, eyes. His gray hair makes contrast with his dark skin. Female coquettishness makes her stand in front of the mirror several times before leaving home. He believes that the years have subtracted centimeters to 1.58 cm that reviews the old format of identity card of his youth.
Her name is Lila Piñango, the most important social leader in the history of the Caricuao Parish, the only ecological parish in Venezuela and Latin America.
The Caricuao Parish is the third largest parish in the Libertador municipality of Caracas. Its name pays tribute to Cacique Caricuao, a rebel aborigine who opposed and fought the Spanish conquest in the territory that today occupies the capital of the country.
Lila's connection with the community ends up making sense, as she discovers her trajectory. She was the first President of the Parochial Board and the last Civil Head, not to mention that she was elected to represent the parish in the Municipal Council.
Photo By: César R. Pinto
** Barquisimetana by birth **
Lila was born on July 26, 1941 in Barquisimeto, Lara State. He arrived in Caracas on the day he turned 12, while in Argentina they cried the first anniversary of the death of Eva Perón and in Cuba the assault on the Moncada Barracks was in full development, without doubt, a date charged with a deep social content, ideal for the start of a political career.
She is not a follower of any sport and claims not to understand baseball, however, she declares herself a fan of the Navegantes del Magallanes and sentimentally of the Cardinals of Lara, the team that represents her home state.
Since her graduation from the Normal School of Caracas in 1958, she devoted herself to teaching with the methodology learned until being promoted to Director before reaching 30 years of age.
"The teacher Lila is an exceptional being who taught with mysticism, passion and love to all her students," says Giovanna Azuaje exalumna de Lila.
Photo By: César R. Pinto
** Caricuarense of heart **
Her encounter with Caricuao occurred in 1967, she and her mother are the first to inhabit Block Number 13 of the largest housing development project in Latin America for the time.
With her arrival also began an idyllic and long relationship that lasts until today, which has led her to understand that the role of teaching goes beyond the classroom.
Know perfectly every corner of the parish, "from La Cidra to El Onoto", (two neighborhoods with similar realities that are divided by the Ruiz Pineda Urbanization), and enjoy walking them every time you can.
Make up to four whole tours of the parish annually, visiting its people, listening to the new pains that afflict them, the needs that have arisen since his last visit and updating his mental blog with the latest events.
At the end of the construction of the 219 buildings that make up the parish, in 1967, the green areas of the buildings and different places of recreation were improved and decorated. Among the works carried out is the sculpture "El Conjuro de Caricuao" by the sculptor Alejandro Colina, better known as the Plaza del Indio, the main symbol of the parish.
The Plaza del Indio is a small square in the shape of a sun composed of 20 rays, whose center is occupied by the allegorical sculpture of the aborigine with his right arm raised holding two snakes in position of attack and in his left hand squeezes the tail of a pair of lizards whose bodies descend to their heels.
In its beginnings the sculpture was erected towards the center of the parish, in the same area where the building of the extinct Civil Headquarters, today Civil Registry, works. The Parochial Board, at the initiative of Lila, carried out the necessary procedures to move the solid granite and red cement sculpture to the main entrance of the parish, where the Francisco Fajardo highway ends. At present the sculpture is part of the historical heritage of the city.
The decision caused several impressions among the parishioners, ranging from congratulations to threats, "many of those who opposed the descent of the Indian, today are great friends of mine, that's life," he confesses between laughs.
When he served as President of the Parish Board, he was in charge of managing the supply of water, electricity and paving services for the streets of the different neighborhoods of his jurisdiction.
Photo By: César R. Pinto
After his election as Metropolitan Mayor of Caracas, in 2008, Antonio Ledezma appointed her as Civil Head, achieving during his tenure (2008-2010) the recognition of Caricuao as an Ecological Parish.
Caricuao is a valley since it is surrounded by a mountain range occupied by four parks: the recreational park Leonardo Ruiz Pineda; the park Vicente Emilio Sojo; the Zoo of Caricuao (the most important in Caracas) and the Universal Park of La Paz. This quality makes Caricuao the second vegetable lung of the capital, after the majestic hill El Ávila.
His work as First Civil Authority of the Caricuao Parish ended in 2010, after the ignorance of the functions of the Metropolitan City Hall of Caracas by the National Government. The functions of the Prefecture of Caracas were absorbed by the Civil Registry.
** Teacher of Profession **
Lila Maria, as the members of her immediate environment call her, understood politics as a way to serve communities, to reach out to those most in need, to give opportunities to young people to improve themselves and to the not so young so that They will reach a dignified old age. All this executed without discrimination or distinguish any, when you have intention to help, to serve, to collaborate political colors are over.
He undertook support plans for the women of Caricuao, allowing them to learn a trade and locate them quickly in the different public administration units, managed scholarships for students with better averages of all the educational centers of the parish, got the municipal authorities to build dozens of sports fields, gymnastic parks, a public library and four candle chapels so that they could give the last goodbye to the neighbors, who left to another plane, without having to leave the parish.
"If there were Lilas in all the parishes of our country, how wonderful our land would be," says Venezuelan politician Enrique Mendoza.
At present, due to the economic situation that the country is going through and its political position different from those who govern, its social action has been diminished. However, it is always looking for ways to encourage sports, religiosity and integration among neighbors.
Photo By: César R. Pinto
** Citizen by conviction **
She is a practicing Catholic, her house bears great resemblance to a church, more than 50 representative images of the Catholic saints adorn her home, she lights a candle every day to the saint who indicates her calendar, after praying and having a cup of coffee (her only vice) proceeds to make the first calls of the day: congratulate the birthday children, ask for the sick and greet friends.
She decided not to be a mother to give herself body and soul to the community to whom she owes great satisfactions and some without flavors.
He does not get along with technology, he prefers to do most things in a traditional way, and if the case warrants, he calls any of the people on his team to help him.
It is sweet but strict. He likes to supervise with rigor that everything is carried out according to the planning made. He blindly believes in youth to whom he gives all the support, "we old people have the experience and the contacts, the young people the energy and the ideas."
In Caricuao Santa and the baby Jesus are not the only ones who bring gifts for children. For 30 years she has been engaged in a beautiful social work in which she brings gifts to the children of the less favored areas of Caricuao. The task begins from the month of October when calls are made to the different friends who serve as allies in this task, some with monetary support, others with toys. In November they begin to receive the letters and lists of children, which serve as support for the classification by age, sex and area. Finally the big day arrives, from 6:00 AM on December 24, the distribution of gifts begins in the different neighborhoods of the parish.
This initiative began to be carried out during the presidential period of Jaime Lusinchi (1984-1989), the first two years were held by the First Lady of the Republic, Mrs. Gladys de Lusinchi later with the sentimental partner of the same, Blanca Ibáñez. The first president had ordered all possible collaboration for Lila, who entered and left Miraflores with complete freedom as if it were her house.
With actions like this, the leader earned the respect of her peers and political adversaries, achieving her support in the development of all the projects she has undertaken so far and which she continues to undertake "as long as God gives her life".
** Decalogue of a Leader **
- You will love GOD above all things.
- You will not forget that the main objective must be the collective good.
- You will constantly call all the people who contributed to you in the realization of all your projects.
- You will work tirelessly and without any distinction.
- You will not interpose the personal interests before the collective ones.
- You will help everyone you can
- You will never be able to please everyone, all the time.
- You will always be willing to listen to suggestions.
- You will not hide your mistakes.
- You will feel proud of everything you have achieved.
By: César R. Pinto