The community of the Cotiza neighborhood, located in the northwest of the Libertador municipality, in Caracas, witnessed the constant shouting coming from a house, accompanied by disrespect and fights late at night.
The situation became a concern for the inhabitants of the area and coexistence a nightmare, especially for the neighbor next door and his family.
Officer Yarbeily Gonzalez told Últimas Noticias Tired of the situation, a citizen of the area decided to put an end to the nightmare and went to the Community Attention Office of the Bolivarian National Police Corps in the San José parish to file a complaint against the people who live in a multi-family house.
The man told officials that the disturbances were constant. He indicated that at one point he managed to speak directly with the person causing the noise and express his concern.
The accused responded satisfactorily. He explained that they only met on weekends to have drinks and socialize with friends, but that their intention was not to cause trouble.
For several days, the conflict subsided. However, a week later the shouting, profanity, and insults resumed between the accused individuals, disrupting the peace of mind of the complainant and his family, especially on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, times he used to rest from work.
He said they couldn't sleep because they were worried that the situation between those involved in the events would worsen and turn violent.
Following the protocol of the Community Police Service, the official summoned the other party involved to hear their version and thus have a complete picture of the conflict that was affecting the harmony of the sector.
Workplace Mediation
On the appointed day, both parties went to the Community Outreach Office at San José Parish. Officer González conducted a conciliation hearing, beginning by listening to each party's concerns, allowing both the complainant and the accused to express their points of view.
“We listen to the requesting party to understand the reason for their complaint, and then we listen to the summoned party so that both parties are guided,” he explained, detailing the mediation process.
During the meeting, the accused neighbor stated that the noise was from family gatherings and that he never intended to disturb the other residents. He indicated that sometimes one of those present would drink too much and start fighting with the others. For his part, the complainant reiterated that the problem was recurring, not just a one-off incident.
He reiterated that they would stay all weekend and it always ended in arguments that affected his right to rest and peace in his home.
The officer guided the dialogue, reminding those involved of the importance of tolerance and mutual respect for peaceful coexistence. After several interventions, both parties reached an understanding and expressed their willingness to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Commitments.
The dialogue allowed the neighbors to reach a settlement. The accused agreed to reduce the volume of music and noise coming from his home, especially at night, and to prevent his guests from behaving disrespectfully.
In addition, they agreed to set schedules for activities that could generate noise and to give advance notice when planning family gatherings to avoid misunderstandings.
The complainant, for his part, accepted the apology and expressed his willingness to end the conflict. Both neighbors signed an agreement outlining the terms reached, demonstrating their commitment to resolving the issue peacefully and restoring harmony to the neighborhood.
Regulation
The mediation was carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance for Citizen Coexistence, Civics and Community Peace Justice of the Libertador municipality.
In particular, Article 8 of this regulation recognizes as a fundamental value "the peaceful settlement of disputes and the application of alternative means for conflict resolution," a principle that guided the entire intervention.
Furthermore, Article 13 of the ordinance establishes that the inhabitants of the municipality must “adopt ethical and civic conduct, avoiding any action, omission, or manifestation contrary to public order, respect for persons and their property, and with consideration, tolerance, and recognition of their rights.” This provision was reiterated to both parties during the mediation.
Officer González highlighted that, since the implementation of the Community Policing Service in the San José parish, the response from security agencies has been satisfactory in reducing neighborhood conflicts.
The legislation in detail
Social peace
Article 30 of the Ordinance on Citizen Coexistence, Civics and Community Peace Justice of the Libertador municipality defines as a duty of coexistence the avoidance of conduct or activities in the use of movable or immovable property that cause annoyances or alterations to social peace, regulated in this Ordinance or in other current legal or sub-legal regulations.
Shouting and loud music
Article 31 of the Ordinance considers acts that generate noise pollution to be disturbing the proper coexistence of citizens through scandalous shouts or foul words, which offend the decorum of people, especially in spaces where children and adolescents are present.
Likewise, playing music with high sound levels in residential areas, commercial premises with openings to public spaces, in passenger transport units, in private vehicles parked or in circulation with open windows, or in any other place where the effect of the sound causes disturbance to the peace of the city.
Sanctions
According to Article 30 of the Ordinance, the person who engages in one of the aforementioned conducts will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to the payment in bolivars of 50 times the highest value currency set by the BCV.
