As of July 21 six helicopters will enhance air surveillance
Caura disable Plan has 357 illegal mining camps
June 22, 2010 | Send your comment

The Bolivarian National Armed Force has evacuated more than 10,000 people. It tightened control on flights and fuel sales. The holder of Defence, Commander Carlos Mata Figueroa, charged that offer packages from Brazil, "all-inclusive, to recruit miners to Venezuela with promises of making money with gold"


The affected area exceeds 29,000 hectares
The image of people Parapara Ortiz, the writer Miguel Otero Silva Casas immortalized in his novel Dead, comes from the unconscious minutes after getting off the M1-17 V5, Russian-made helicopter to the Bolivarian National Armed Force dropped in El Triunfo , a recently evicted illegal mining camp, located in the bowels of the Amazon jungle of Venezuela, in Bolivar state.
Its only inhabitants were military personnel, strategically located to repel any surprise attack. "The miners have not resisted, but he must be vigilant, because they think that our stay here is temporary and could return," says Lieutenant Junior Cruz Perez, head of the patrol that performs operations in El Triunfo.
At some point the Triumph had a social and economic vitality driven by gold fever, as Ortiz lived for oil. Two rows, about 30 houses each, just separated by the distance required for landing of the aircraft, form a rectangle that looks nothing like the home of indigenous peoples.
The more than sixty houses of El Triunfo were made of wood with zinc roofs. Like almost all the 357 camps disqualified by the fanbase since the beginning of Plan Caura two months ago, stressed the Minister of People's Power for Defense, Commander Carlos Mata Figueroa.
The public inspected the area near the head of the Strategic Defense Region Comprehensive Plan Guyana, and coordinator of the Caura, Maj. Gen. Henry Rangel Silva, Minister of Popular Power for the Environment (Minamb), Alejandro Hitcher, and the Minister of People's Power Indigenous Peoples, Nicia Maldonado.
Unlike Ortiz village that was devastated by decline, the makeshift villages in the Venezuelan Guayana had grown rapidly in recent years, brought by the capos of mining, such as was seen in the mining shaft Guariche Jungle, Piar municipality located in the Bolivar state, an area which is part of Canaima National Park.
LIBERTADESAhora FORGE, 200 years of the Bicentennial, we can say unequivocally that the fanbase continues to forge freedoms. "We are releasing these men and women who were enslaved here because our final target is the mining mafia, not the peons. The miners say they take what they can of their belongings. We are working in that direction. We are looking for drug lords, "said Mata Figueroa.
So far there are 16 detainees. Are the heads that were detected in operations disabling camps. "Those are the order of the Public Ministry are Venezuelans, because foreigners were deported. In the investigations find websites that offer packages from Brazil, all-inclusive, to recruit miners to Venezuela with promises of making money with gold, "explained the minister.
Before the disaster caused by illegal mining, the national government is running the Caura Plan, in order to eradicate this activity and add to that population in productive activities. The measures endorsed by all ministries and state institutions. It is also guaranteed support for the 95 indigenous communities affected, with a total of 395 that exist in the region, said Minister Nicia Maldonado.
In the vast expanse of Guariche (Piar municipality) in the Canaima National Park, is exercised more intensely illegal mining. Even cable cars were being installed to drill tepuy. "On the strength of the facts, reloaded the offices of the ministries in Bolivar state," said General Rangel Silva.
On the banks of the River Caroni and Caura River operation was strong, but more recent data. To counter it, will install the four control points in the basin of the Caura, the Caroni, La Paragua and Icabarú. On 21 July, the national government will turn the air group, 1 in Puerto Ordaz, who have six helicopters MI-17 V5 to strengthen Russian-made aerial surveillance. In these aircraft are installed a tank in the cabin, with capacity of 1,500 liters, to give more autonomy to fly.

"It also approved the creation of one Special Forces battalion based in Maripa. Manteco be installed in a Jungle Infantry, and there are plans to create a Special Forces Brigade, still must determine its location, specified Rangel Silva.
"With these tactical units will expand by 600% of the fanbase equipment in Bolivar state. In addition, Bs 8 million earmarked for the purchase of light boats, "he added.
Also started a new fuel dispensing program. "It was a change of management. The supply stations are members of the Frente Francisco de Miranda to eradicate trafficking in diesel and gasoline into the mining areas, "said Rangel Silva.
The air traffic control in Bolivar and Amazonas states has been key. Only in Ciudad Bolivar out 35 flights a day and 30 on the Paragua, excluding the Manteco, Tumeremo, Canaima and Santa Elena de La Guaira. "We get an average of two daily flights. Mining is prohibited in the basins of the Caura and Caroni. Only Cuyuní mining is allowed, and through partnerships with the state, "he said.
In total, the Bolivarian National Armed Force covers an area of 29299.78 hectares, and has evacuated more than 10,000 people in a real admirable campaign against illegal mining involving 3,000 troops from the professional ranks.
A PEOPLE MADE OF WOOD AND ZINC
Have seized 140,280 liters of gasoline in the region
Teachers in the management of the mountain, the miners quickly erected a village of wood and zinc roofs, like that of El Triunfo, in which no less than 800 people lived. An average house, the most simple, cost about Bs 50 million, the cost is doubled if you have two floors.
"But to build the people, the miners will charge a high price jungle trees. The rest of what they need is by road in trucks specially equipped light aircraft and small boats, "said Lieutenant Junior Cruz Perez.
Hairdressers, grocery stores, hardware stores, repair shops and automobile engines, backhoes reconstruction, "Corrutela" (brothels), hotels, restaurants and even had an evangelical church in El Triunfo, which were lacking medical clinic and the funeral home. "A dead miners jungle swallows them," he said a soldier who has devoted five years to military operations in the jungles and plains. In some camps have been found, even aviation workshops.
The life of a camp, as the bubble of gold, may be fleeting, or it may last up to fifty years. Once the review military patrol the camp and collect evidence that could lead to illegal mining barons, the patrol will destroy the Triumph as it has done with all the camps discovered by the authorities.
"To prevent re-mining is necessary to destroy these facilities and engines (to date 535 have been disabled) and then begin a rescue plan and reforestation of the devastated area," noted Cruz Perez.
Only at Camp El Triunfo seized 28,000 liters of fuel to hydraulic motors, but in total 140,280 liters were recovered within two months of the Plan Caura.
Some of these homes will remain standing as a receipt for the fanbase. "We have plans but we will end up saying after the stage of dismantling of the mining towns, said Rangel Silva.
VENEZUELAN WOMAN RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT CREW
Rossana Perez Sgt second battalion of helicopters belonging to Brigadier General Florencio Jimenez, located in San Felipe, Yaracuy.
It is the first female professional soldiers Venezuelan crew of Russian-made helicopters MI-17V5. "I went in the first class, in 2006," he recalled.
Plan is highlighted in the Caura, and her work includes the evacuation of miners, transport of personnel, supplies, materials, supplies and evacuation of soldiers and people who need to move from emergency to a medical center in Ciudad Bolivar.
"I take risks for the country. This is a very important task for the shelter of our territory and the displacement of persons engaged in illegal mining, "he said.
Hitcher: 150 years will be needed to correct damage caused ecological disaster ambientalesEl illegal mining, has unearthed the dilemma of relevance to exploit the precious metals and minerals in the Venezuelan Guayana.
"This is a very sensitive issue and the state must be very careful. With the promise of the companies that will remove the 'tails' (the specific part of a vein of gold) environmental authorities have issued licenses to operate the mines, "says Alejandro Hitcher, Minister of Popular Power for the Environment.
This is a capitalist business and the dealers get the most profit seeking and, ultimately, the companies end up exploiting a much larger area specified in the permit. "By obtaining the approval of the then Ministry of Energy and Mines of them went to the Environment, in order to be endorsing these permits."

This is the case of the Canadian company Cristallex, which were granted permission to mine Las Cristinas, says Hitcher. "After six months of environmental requirements, the directors promised to comply, and the State gave them the bid. It was then the Ministry of Energy and Mines and were authorized, "said the minister.
Things were not there. "I immediately went to the New York Stock Exchange to submit this certificate. Cristallex shares began to rise, but not to go down, it was necessary, following implementation of the operation and I am convinced that the invasions in the Guayana region was stimulated by the MNC, "he said Hitcher.
Already with the territory invaded by illegal mining, began to pressure the Government to ratify the grant and take out people from those areas, he said.

The Gold Rush, accentuated by the global crisis, caused an ecological disaster that will take more than 150 years to be remedied. "We as a state have to decide, between water and biodiversity, on the one hand, and the mineral wealth on the other. What privilege? The resources of the future should be first, "he said Hitcher.

http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/tema-dia/plan-caura-ha-logrado-inhabilitar-357-campamentos-mineria-ilegal/