VHeadline commentarist and gold buff Todd MacSween writes: No gold mining allowed in the Las Cristinas location! What?

After years of social obligations and money spent developing the area into the ideal social city that Hugo Chavez Frias talks about in his 21st Century Socialism ideas ... there is suddenly a change of heart? Houses, hospitals, roads, sewage treatment plants and a lot more down the drain ... not to mention the lack of jobs for the miners who are eagerly awaiting employment after being removed or prevented from mining.

A government-owned gold mine eagerly being pursued by the CVG is to be derailed?

Wake up and smell the coffee!

This appears to have the smell of manipulation to the highest degree ... or at the least someone playing political games at the cost of companies and residents. I suppose local employment will come enforcing the no-mining rules for the area, as illegal miners continuing to pollute with mercury and destroy land with water pressure.

Yes! Way to go, Hugo!

The Las Cristinas area is indeed a sensitive environmental issue and that's why it has taken years of careful planning with consideration for the environment and welfare of the surrounding community to develop the area ... years of polluting can not easily be reversed and can only become successful with the proper development and restoration of the area.

Is this not what has been accomplished and eagerly awaited by many?

• One thing is for sure ... and that is, if the treatment of foreign companies continues upon this path, Venezuela will never reach its full potential.

A reply from the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Mining will be needed to clarify any issues surrounding this matter instead of avoiding the media.

Their refusal to speak to reporters is an obvious sign that the ministers themselves are uninformed officially of what is going on under their noses and they have obviously been caught on the back foot, needing time to mull things over before even attempting to offer any official excuse.


Mind you, it is to be preferred by sincere investors since media reporting from Venezuela is difficult enough and is often incorrect or mis-translated and mis-reported as warped opinions or twisted truths.

If President Hugo Chavez Frias does care about the environment and the welfare and stability of the residents of his communities, action on his part is a must.

Investors who have been through hell and high water with this Las Cristinas saga, also realize that until official notice is given by the proper authorities, misleading statements by rogue corrupted officials will have their sway, damaging Venezuela's political and foreign policy environment even more than any allegation of impending damage to the Imataca Rainforest and/or tribal indians.

It's just another excuse Venezuela's enemies to spread even more international lies and distortions about what is really happening in Venezuela.

Ironically, regrettably, this sort of confusion appears to be par for the course when investing in Venezuela these days ... so sad!

Todd MacSween
emilytodd@netzero.net