As Gang, Police Violence Rages, a Neighborhood Tries To Connect

CARACAS, Venezuela—“The bullet holes are right outside my door—a reminder of where they murdered him, right outside his home,” says Aryelis, whose son was shot to death by police here in 2017.

Mothers, sisters and wives are telling the stories of the men who have lost their lives in Special Action Forces operations in the hillside neighborhood of La Vega. The police unit, known as the FAES for its acronym in Spanish, has for years terrorized the working-class barrios of the Venezuelan capital. It’s accused of criminalizing young men for where they live.

La Vega’s turn came in early 2021.

The community calls it the “La Vega massacre.” Caracas’ leading gang — The Washington Post is withholding its name to protect the safety of those photographed for this story—had been infiltrating the neighborhood. For months, residents were at the mercy of both the gang and the police, enduring raids, mass detentions and regular gunfire.

On Jan. 7, 2021, the FAES raided the barrio. Twenty-three people were killed, according to independent observers. The government contests this number.

Despite the losses, residents have fought to find moments of joy. La Vega is a cultural hub in Caracas, maintaining Afro-Venezuelan traditions in drumming and other arts. Even during gunfire and raids, residents continued these traditions, albeit behind closed doors.

This long-term project, “What Remains,” follows the lives of those who are particularly affected by this violence: Women, who are left to navigate devastating grief as they provide for their family, seek justice and try to heal. In La Vega, women are the driving force of the community, organizing recreational activities, food distribution programs and providing other support.

In getting to know women in La Vega, I hoped to show their resilience and their effort to heal. I asked what is left, what is salvaged, what life looks like after tragedy. In a region where violence is normalized, these images reflect the power of community.

This work was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center and will be continued with the support of the Getty Images Inclusion Grant.