More than 200 miners have been holding a protest since this Sunday, September 4th, on Troncal 10 (Highway 10) near La Camorra, in El Dorado. Those affected denounced that there are “new demands” by some representatives of the Turkish-Venezuelan Binational Mining Company (MIBITURVEN).
By La Patilla – Pableysa Ostos
Sep 05, 2022
They point out that about a week ago representatives of the company arrived with a commission of the URRA Organization from the Capital District, “to intimidate the miners and enforce the petty interests of their bosses.”
Among their complaints, they pointed out that: “the military personnel of this organization arrived with drones, long weapons and also with a hostile attitude. Alleging that these lands belong to the officers and that to let us work we must pay them between 25 and 100 grams,” which is equivalent to between 1,200 and 4,800 U.S. dollars every month.
Another inhabitant of the town located in the south of Bolívar State pointed out “as if everything that is paid to the Venezuelan Mining Corporation (CVM) is not already enough, which sells us fuel at between 6 and 9 grams of gold, which would be 300 and 500 dollars 1 drum (200 liters) of fuel.”
The miners add that they must also pay for each and every tool that they pass to the mines to work. From a water tank to a nail. “We are various organized mining towns, here we have schools, outpatient clinics, this has cost us effort and work, now these people come with their military who want to remove us from our work sites.”
Rejection
The miners have been protesting more than 6 hours against MIBITURVEN in “Troncal 10”
Those affected issued a statement that read: “This doesn’t seem fair to us because here everyone works for their own. They want to screw us in the mine and in the town as well. Not satisfied with this, they now want to implement tax receipts in the mines asking for papers (paper work) for everything, even one’s birth certificate, as if someone in the mine is going around carrying papers when one goes to work in the middle of the water and the bush, but as if this is not enough already now if we do not comply with their whims they take us out, the words were take it or leave it.”
“What do these companies like MIBITURVEN and CVM, leave to the population? (As a benefit) Because they are as illegal as they say we are, how do they want to treat us? Why don’t they leave a single point of gold in retribution to the population where they work? I want them to tell me where the contributions they make are and where is the school or clinic that they (supposedly) helped to build? Where is the street or highway that they helped to pave? Where are the light bulbs that have been donated or the medicines? Where are these?” They requested through the communiqué published by those affected.
Adding to it “They leave nothing behind, they take everything away like thieves. So now these two companies have internal problems and other problems between them because their interests are being touched and they see no better option than to exploit the most stupid, as if we were their slaves. We are as Venezuelan as they are and we have rights to these lands. We organized community councils and we want an explanation for all this from the State, from the national government, since the governor and the mayor at some time gave their word to come after meeting with them and after more than 3 months we are still waiting for them and they send us this little pearl. With you we do not want anything, we request a representative of the government, be it the Minister or the President, since we will not lift the bar on Highway10 (Troncal 10) and we will continue with the 0 hour in the townships, ENOUGH OF MOCKERY, WE ARE WORKING AND PEACEFUL MINERS.”
Another Protest
In July, the inhabitants also closed the road. On that occasion for different reasons: to demand that spaces and permits be granted for the development of small-scale mining in the areas of the Dalla Costa parish. They also requested the permanent reconditioning of the “Troncal 10” highway. As well as the creation of a substation connected to the power lines that go to Brazil and let them open a telephone communication system.
The demonstrators also denounced the non-compliance with the social contribution investment of public and private companies, as well as of the alliances which have never been made in these communities that are part of El Dorado.
And at that time they demanded the retribution of the tax collected in El Dorado, “that all the collection be invested for the benefit of the population. And we ask that you immediately and permanently open the “Yuruari” service station,” they added. The service station has already been closed for 3 years.
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Read More: La Patilla – Bolívar: miners rose up against a Turkish-Chavista company and denounce intimidation
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