Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) officials are subject to a "gag order" by Basic Industries & Mining (Mibam) Minister Rodolfo Sanz

Nueva Prensa de Guayana reports that small-scale miners in the Las Claritas Sifontes municipality have been unofficially told that they will not be evicted from their claims although orders had been handed down from Basic Industries & Mining (Mibam) Minister Rodolfo Sanz by way of CVG-Minerven president, Luis Herrera.

The small-scale gold mining workers had recently been involved in a 48-hour blockade of the Venezuela-Brazil Interstate 10 highway at Las Claritas in protest over an alleged eviction that would be carried out by members of the National Guard on orders from the prosecurtor's office in Santa Elena de Uairen.

Mibam officials in El Callao told Nueva Prensa de Guayana that they had no jurisdiction in the case. However, after six attempts to elicit a comment from CVG-Minerven, the reporter spoke with top executive, Luis Herrera, who said he was "not authorized to make any statements to the press."

Meanwhile the small miners are not required to leave their working areas, having received assurances from the Canadian gold mining corporation, Crystallex that the land where they work belongs to them by a pre-arrangement. In other information it is understood that some low-contamination equipment is to be returned to the gold miners so that they can continue their work routine although they are still hampered by a lack of fuel since supplies are strictly controlled.

It appears that Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) officials are subject to a "gag order" by Basic Industries & Mining (Mibam) Minister Rodolfo Sanz who has ordered that nobody can make statements to the press without consent. Statements of any kind to journalists are not allowed. Unofficially, though. it is known that the small miners could remain in situ only for the next 90 days under a threat from the Environment Ministry (MinAmb) to declare the area a protected zone ... a measure that would generate great unease in the local population and worsen the economy of southern Bolivar State.