ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the context in which the action-oriented research has taken place in Venezuela amidst what is so-called "Bolivarian revolution", marked with high levels of political and social polarization and changes in the public health care system. The constitutional change resulted in some policies that improved the access of the population, especially the poor sectors, to primary care services. Human Rights Watch has denounced the inability of the Venezuelan government to properly address human rights issues and its tendency to confront and attack human rights advocates and civil society organizations. Many NGOs have been established, social research has been used as an intervention tool, and networks of cooperation and exchanges have facilitated the emergence of consensus for the implementation of public policies. Learning and diffusion of knowledge are key elements of social activism in health care.
