Local residents and human rights activists pointed out that the Venezuelan government has deployed the military to crack down on key gold mining areas long controlled illegally by gangs in order to attract foreign investment and revive the stagnating mining industry.
According to activists and residents monitoring the area, the military has been deployed near the town of Las Claritas in the southern Bolivar state.
Located at the border of Venezuela with Guyana and Brazil, Las Claritas is one of the main hubs for illegal gold mining within the rich mineral “Orinoco Mining Arc.” This mining area is abundant in gold, diamonds, bauxite, tantalum, niobium, and rare earth minerals essential for defense and technology industries.
Five residents in the area told Reuters that they heard explosions and gunshots, frightening many people from leaving their homes and forcing local businesses to temporarily close. Due to fear of reprisal, the interviewees refused to disclose their identities.
A 45-year-old resident of Las Claritas described, “The jungle is filled with constant explosions and gunshots, with landmines buried, the situation is very dire, and people simply dare not venture outside.” Another shop owner mentioned drones hovering low over his house for hours during the night.
Non-governmental organizations and United Nations-supported investigators have highlighted that a significant portion of mining activities in the region are controlled by criminal groups and armed factions.
Human rights group “Provea” warned on social media platform X, “Venezuelan military forces are conducting large-scale military operations in Las Cristinas and the 88th kilometer of Bolivar state. We caution that local civilians face the risk of extrajudicial executions and arbitrary detention.”
This military operation comes as the new Venezuelan government attempts to reignite foreign investment in mining. With many mines still under the control of gangs and criminal organizations, these forces pose the biggest obstacle to the government’s efforts to revitalize the mining industry.
In early January, former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was arrested by the US on charges of smuggling, drug trafficking, and engaging in terrorist activities, with Delcy Rodriguez subsequently appointed interim president.
Since then, relations between Washington and Caracas have gradually thawed, leading to discussions on revitalizing oil and mining investment plans.
In April, Venezuela passed a new mining law to encourage foreign investment, while the US partially eased sanctions on Venezuelan mining in March, hoping to attract American and foreign companies for development while restricting involvement of authoritarian states like China, Russia, and Iran.
Canadian exploration company Roland Mineral Enterprises Corp announced on March 27 that it had initiated an acquisition plan to obtain mining rights in Venezuela, including permits for mining gold, silver, and copper deposits already discovered.
The company noted that the Las Claritas gold mining project in the Bolivar state of Venezuela is one of the world’s largest undeveloped gold deposits, initially developed by Placer Dome Inc in 1997.
Roland Mineral Enterprises Corp has signed an exclusive agreement with current asset holders in the mining area to conduct evaluations.
(Reference: Reuters)