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Message: maybe it's roys fault the miners have no cheese.

maybe it's roys fault the miners have no cheese.

posted on Nov 18, 2008 05:06AM
VENEZUELA:

Striking miners hold CVG-Bauxilum vice-president Alfredo Arcila hostage at Basic Industries & Mining HQ in Ciudad Bolivar



Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) headquarters in Puerto Ordaz
2008-11-18 15:44:29 - Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) aluminum subsidiary CVG-Bauxilum vice-president and a number of other company executives have been kidnapped and held hostage by a group of miners following what started out as a peaceful demonstration at the Basic Industries & Mining (Mibam) Ministry HQ in Ciudad Bolivar.

VHeadline Venezuela News reports:

El Diario de Guayana reports in today's editions that the miners were staging a peaceful demonstration in front of MIBAM headquarters when at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time Monday, they took action into their own hands and detained CVG-Bauxilum Alfredo Arcila who had just arrived hoping to mediate in the ongoing labor conflict.

In a statement to

the media, Arcila said the kidnapping was "an outrage to our integrity because we only aim to clarify the picture, since the payment of mining conversion checks is to take place on Thursday, November 20!" He said that a "false press release" issued by a regional newspaper had announced that payment of the government's commitments to the mining sector would take place on Monday, November 17, and that it had created "a climate of confusion" among the more than 5,000 displaced miners from across Bolivar State, who were at the gate demanding payment on Monday.

Security officials say that five CVG-Bauxilum officers were illegally deprived of their liberty for several hours before their release was negotiated. They were named as: Alfredo Arcila, Tabai Lucena, Pedro Rivero, Jose Barreto and Jose Morales as well as United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) official Roy Quiaragua.

Rolando Martinez, leading the striking miners outside MIBAM Bolivar HQ said that the officials were only "restrained" until the payments due to them (the miners) were honored ... "We want them to honor their word and that Mibam Minister Rodolfo Sanz should come in person to give us a serious response ... we have had enough of their obfuscations." He emphasized that the protest was nor politically motivated but that the strikers are only seeking to have the government fulfill its promises ... "we're not with any political party, nor are we with any candidate, all we want is to be paid what we're due!"

CVG-Bauxilum vice president Alfredo Arcila blames the miners for taking the law into their own hands and says "the full weight of the law will be applied in any case of any aggression against my physical integrity and that of the other officials involved. I had no objection to stay with the miners for a short period while they appeal for calm because the payment will be made on Thursday," Arcila promised.

VHeadline Venzuela News
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