One could argue that Chavez is waiting for the opportune time to pay the miners and announce the permit, but the logic of the situation is that the opportune time was in the past. Nothing adds up, but then again this is Venezuela.

Hugo "opportune time" runs out in about a month. The month time line is related to the election. Of course that's assuming this clown really wants to get re elected.

Maybe he's squirreled away enough $s off shore that he'll just retire (LOL) and doesn't care about the outcome of the election. As you said:

Nothing adds up, but then again this is Venezuela.