The hype about Rusoro or Venerus to be the ones to operate Brisas and Las Cristinas was most likely produced for Gold Reserve shareholders so that they would be more willing to part with their shares to a company with a great future.
The hype mostly came from Rusoro who encouraged Venezuelan government officials to play it up in their speeches because it was argued that it was for Venezuela's benefit. Note that the officials refrained to mention the names of the companies affected, they mentioned just the resource sites. This left the reader to assume that Venezuela was going to take those resources or contract away. In turns out that they depended on Rusoro to snatch Gold Reserve and it's proposed mine to use it to operate both projects.
With the failure of Rusoro to aquire Gold Reserve, officials like Sanz are left with retractions and 'clarifications' of their rhetoric.
Seems that we and Crystallex still have hope. Just read some of the posts on Agoracom's KRY board.