Desocupáis

Desocupáis is a term used in Argentina to refer to the process of reclaiming and occupying publicly or privately owned land, particularly abandoned or neglected properties. This practice has been adopted by various social movements, including land rights and housing organizations, as a means of promoting collective ownership and community development.

The term desocupáis is derived from the Spanish verbs "desocupar" and "ocupar," meaning to vacate and to occupy, respectively. According to the definition, desocupáis involves the takeover of land or property by individuals or communities, often in areas abandoned, underutilized, or whose hereditary rights have been ignored. This can include government, corporate or private property, including residential or agricultural lands, as well as buildings or infrastructure.

Desocupáis is closely tied to the Argentine concept of "okupación," which considers unemployed or marginalized people as the only ones able to provide a liberating response to capitalist crisis. Therefore, the idea behind desocupáis is not only that of securing shelter but also promoting ownership by and for the communities concerned. This practice has been fostered through various mechanisms, including grassroots and community-level initiatives, while opposing the neoliberal notion of land value and people's displacement for large scale development.

Critics argue that desocupáis can lead to conflict over property rights, with authorities systemically enforcing policies aiming to combat land expropriation by citizens.