hondo, your guess is as good as mine....in the past it was considered non strategic but recently there are hints that gold will be kept in country to prop up the venz reserve....judging by rusoro/hecla i guess it's non strategic...chavez seems to be changing his mind on a daily basis now.

(ex-wife/coke/UN/FARC/opposition/cou... son/zulia/bolivar/caraboba/public opinion/intelligence reform) problems must be weighing on him.....

here, i'll make it easy for him: hugo, heres the answers to all your questions (in order of importance).

mining: approve all mining at current contractual obligations

FARC: deny deny deny

estranged son: deny deny deny

economy/unrest/public opinion/etc.: take the money you make from mining and have a "free taco and whiskey day".

ex-wife: call FARC (tell them she planted the laptop)

coke: take it to the UN and share