The ideological basis of our militias is rooted in anti-colonial struggle. Resistance to Spanish conquest in the 16th century was led by Aboriginal peoples. The form of social organisation of our indigenous peoples was not a pyramid-type hierarchical order with a single chief – we had many chiefs – so Spanish colonisers found they could not dismantle the entire social, political and military structures of our society by killing the head of a pyramid. Our chiefs organised resistance, including the great indigenous leaders Great Cacique Guaicaipuro and Great Cacia Uriquia, forming liberation movements which continued until the independence era.

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