Jun 25 4:00 PM

The art of the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela

by Andrea Schmidt & The Fault Lines Digital Team

The socialist policies introduced under Chávez's so-called "Bolivarian revolution," from 1999 to 2013, has split the citizenry. Government supporters, including community groups known as colectivos, in poor and working-class areas are fervent in their support of Chávez's revolution and stand behind his elected successor and former vice president, Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, many in the country's upper and middle classes oppose government policies and some go as far as to call Maduro a dictator.

The latest Fault Lines episode, "Venezuela Divided," attempts to make sense of the country's polarized population one year after the death of Hugo Chávez. The film airs Saturday, June 28, at 7 pm Eastern time/4 pm Pacific time on Al Jazeera America.

The 23 de Enero neighborhood in Caracas is known as a colectivo stronghold, and a place where the police don’t enter. It’s also known for the murals painted by the different community groups. Some murals depict revolutionary slogans and figures from Latin America; others represent struggles around the world, both past and present.

Murals aren’t unique to the 23 de Enero neighborhood. They’re all over the city. You can see this exhortation of "Socialism" from the highway on the journey into Caracas from the airport.

Sebastian Walker for Al Jazeera America

"We need to do the impossible because every day others take care of what’s possible," is a slogan attributed to Simón Bolívar, the military leader who led Venezuela (and many other Latin American countries) to independence from the Spanish Empire.