Of the 100% that the industrialists sold in the free trade, the gold produced in the municipalities of the south, now only can sell 30%, arguing that cannot work to loss

• Isidro Casanova

With fallen faces, the management of the deprived industries of gold of the municipalities of the South, has been noticing the workers who if the resolution of the Central bank of Venezuela stays, forcing to the industry to sell 70% to him of the gold production, the companies will not be able to continue operating. The mentioned resolution that introduces radical changes in the commercialization of gold, entails to the industries to a financial insufficiency because the production costs would be over the sale prices of gold, which would be received by the Central bank at the rate of the change of 2,15 bolivars by dollar.

The industries of gold of the municipalities of the South, are mainly of the Venezuelan State whose coordination is centered in CVG Minerven, presided over by the engineer Luis Herrera. They are outside by, four industries of private capital, originating of Russian industrialists. The management of these industries is those that have presented/displayed difficulties. One is the industries Venrusca - Venezuela-Russia that part of the assets operates that were of Hecla of Venezuela in the Camorra of the Gilded one; Rusoro Mining Company, operator of Mineral Project Guayana - PMG- that operates the mines of Hit of the Pebble; the company MS, that initially was of the Agapov Group also in the Camorra, where indeed there is an ample development of extension of the plant; Isidora mine in the Peru of the Pebble, where also the Russian group assumed the assets of Hecla of Venezuela. These companies have more than thousand five hundred workers, who when seeing threatened their labor stability have initiated a campaign directed to that they are heard in the high Government and some decision takes place protects that them and it does not leave them in the air.

Meeting with the Central bank

Our informant expressed soon whom representing of the affected companies meetings with described civil servants have done, without it arrives itself at anything. He confirmed that in this week, the problem will be posed to the Central bank of Venezuela, trusting that they could arise alternative that allows to maintain the operative companies and the labor mass in their jobs.

Union movement initiates the defense of the workers

The unions of the industry of gold, corresponding to the Russian investors, begin from today a series of action. The represented labor force mainly in the Union of Heavy Machinery, with Red Eladio, like Secretary General and Carlos González, another one of the main managers, is to the front of the organization of the events. Between the events that were developed from today in the morning, one inquired into labor protests bet in the bridge of entrance to the Pebble and main the 10.

100% of gold were sold in the free trade

In interview that we realised to the engineer Julian Villarroel, manager of Industrial Relations of PMG, was confirmed the crisis that confronts the private auriferous sector as a result of the last resolution.

Indeed, the 30 of April of the current year, the Central bank of Venezuela, emitted the Resolution 09-0403, which was published in Official Newspaper 39,169, of date 30-04-09. This Resolution determines that 60% of gold produced in the country, must be sold to the BCV, 10% for the manufacturing industry and 30%, with guide of Mibam could be commercialized by the producer.

- This Resolution affects the auriferous industry - it express Villarroel- because the gold that we produced was totally sold in Venezuela to buyers authorized. The gold was not exported. The problem appears because of the sale of the 100% in the free trade to a possibility of sale solely of 30%, it less does not compensate the production costs and case of PMG whose tenors are very low, calculated to 1,8 and 1,9 grams of gold by ton.

Although Julian Villarroel did not mention it, but in another source we knew that the gold that is commercialized in these municipalities to free dollar or exchange whose change in the last days has been in 6 and 7 bolivars by dollar. In this change differential it is that is the problem, because the resolution determines the sale of gold to the BCV where it is eliminated at the rate of the change of 2,15 bolivars by dollar.