I couldn't agree more.  Leaving these projects swinging in the breeze didn't make any logical sense, so the only possible reason for ithe delay could only be political, even if the actual thinking behind the purposeful inaction  isn't immediately obvious to most of us.

If we make that assumption, then allowing them to proceed will be a political act also, and the timing of any announcement will be designed to maximise the political effect. 

Ideally one could imagine a stage managed show with Chavez making the commencement announcement on TV and then switching the picture to a couple of dozers, operated by locally sourced drivers, starting moving some earth around at Las Cristinas and Brisas just to show that when Hugo speaks, things really happen! 

Without some real action on the ground it could simply turn into yet another "announcement", one in a long line of similar aborted announcements made by various parties for the past 10 years or so going back to the Placer Dome days..