Venezuelan gold mines emptied as military forces evict illegal miners

Thousands of illegal gold miners have been driven from Venezuela's Amazonian rainforest following a swift military operation involving helicopters and ground forces. The mining town of Las Claritas and surrounding camps fell silent in early June as the Venezuelan armed forces evicted unauthorized workers from one of the world's largest gold deposits.

Reports from the scene, corroborated by local residents and human rights organizations, describe sounds of explosions and gunfire echoing through the forest as thousands fled the area. News agencies AFP and Reuters have documented the abandonment of mining sites and settlements, with military and intelligence vehicles visible in Las Claritas. Much of Venezuela's mining activity has been controlled by organized crime, with gold often smuggled through Brazil or Colombia.

This operation appears to be part of a broader shift in Venezuela's mining sector, potentially influenced by recent diplomatic overtures. Shortly after the mining area operation, the U.S. claimed to have killed Niño Guerrero, a leader of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua, in an airstrike. This action was reportedly coordinated with the Venezuelan administration.

The intervention in the mining zones, coupled with the alleged killing of Guerrero, signals a new phase in the power struggles over Venezuela's vast mining belt. The Economist has reported that this "cleansing" could grant Americans access to rich gold reserves. This follows a March visit by U.S. Secretary of State Doug Burgum, who led a delegation of mining executives, resulting in a deal to purchase semi-processed gold bars worth $100 million for the U.S. market. Venezuelan legislative reforms in April have also eased foreign investment in mining, attracting international investors.

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Cleansing offers Americans access to one of the world's richest gold deposits.