Miners reject "lies" of the government
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The mining town of Raúl Leoni are tired of unfulfilled promises and, on Monday, unleashed his fury with a lit protest in the capital bolivarense. The group kidnapped several buses, burned rubber, closed roads and warned that if the government did not cancel humanitarian aid as "punish" the next Nov. 23. The more than six thousand "affected" by the so-called conversion mining assured that under the agreement was expected to be on Monday when troops made those payments.

* The protesters seized 10 units of public transport and a bus CVG Venalum to pressure the authorities.

* The group has retained the vice president of the Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG), Alfredo Arcila, which was presented on the site to mediate.

Carolina Maffia
Photo Armando Rivas

That's because, according to some of these workers in mining was expected to be on Monday when troops made those payments. However, for some reasons they were informed that it would not be until next Thursday when they honor that commitment at 11:00 am at the Park Leonardo Ruiz Pineda.

Juan Manuel Rojas, one of those affected, he became spokesman for the discontent of the miners who threatened to punish the government with their vote 23n while many wore shirts and caps of the PSUV.

He said to be tired of so many "jokes" and deception "of the government, particularly the minister Rodolfo Sanz.

He also recalled that for years the state of Bolivar has been an area dedicated to mining activity par excellence, now seeks to-overnight-change that reality.

"We want no more deception, we longer payments," said Rojas, in the midst of hundreds of miners who chanted their demands in full Libertador Avenue, opposite the offices of the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining (Mibam).

A conciliator
The protesters, amid the peaceful nature of protest, they decided to kidnap 10 units of collective public transport and a bus belonging to the company CVG Venalum, which threatened to burn.

The vice president of the Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG), Alfredo Arcila, ratified the commitment of the owner of Mibam to fulfill his word, noting that it will be on Thursday, when delivered payments.

"We are asking them what they were two days," said Arcila, who requested time to organize the delivery of resources and come next Thursday the cancellation.

The official, who sought to reconcile with the protesters, was allegedly abducted in Mibam headquarters in the capital since noon. Even at 3:00 in the afternoon remained the demonstration mining.

Alexander Munoz, one of the spokesmen, said they remain standing for the fight, demanding for payment before Thursday, therefore, assured that there is no guarantee for cancellation when the Republic Plan to leave the street for the regional elections of 23 November.

The miners made it clear that this was a protest at their "just right", denying that this event would dye political and electoral, on the few days of the regional elections.

Governor accuses Velasquez

The state's governor, Francisco Rangel Gomez, through a radio station, reiterated the payment to the miners for next Thursday and Friday in La Paragua.

It also accused the opposition candidate for governor, Andres Velasquez, and the candidate for mayor in Sifontes, Carlos Chancellor, of being behind these protests.

Rangel Gomez was emphatic in stating that aims confusing to the community when it is a few days of an election process, and blamed opposition sectors to instigating and manipulating the miners.