CNN tracks trail of ‘bloody gold’ that leads to Venezuela’s government

Venezuela boasts the largest oil reserves in the world, but gold is increasingly its lifeblood. In the area around Venezuela's gold mines, gold has replaced the near-worthless bolivar, with even the cost of a haircut quoted in gold. In Caracas, it allows Nicolás Maduro to allegedly buy the military's loyalty to his embattled government. And abroad, Venezuelan gold is sold by the ton — one of the country's few remaining means of foreign exchange.

To extract the precious metal, miners must turn rocks into dust, from sunrise to sunset, under the brutal rule of a state-sponsored network of violent gangs and corrupt military, say several witnesses and a senior military source with knowledge of the security situation in the Orinoco Mining Arc.

CNN's Isa Soares reports.

#CNN #News

40 comments

  1. This just reminded me of the conflict blood diamonds wars from Africa countries and members of the media investors probably are behind trading gold for ammunition.

    1. Oba*** Man funny part is this was initiated by America and UK withholding Venezuela’s funds and freezing their bank accounts

    2. @I speak The truth
      It’s laughable because I’m a critical thinker, I actually have people in Africa mining diamonds and gold, I’m very firmly what I’m talking about.

    3. It’s been happening in Africa forever,anything of value usually ends up funding wars it’s how this world works unfortunately. I mean they do the same with tin mines but clearly to a lesser extent because of its value in comparison.

  2. Russia is like a big brother letting a little brother do what it wants. Violences and Corruption. Federal always listens to the locals.

    1. @Herbert Camacho I know. And I also pointed out that fascism is merely capitalism in decline. The very system of Capitalism requires corporate power and the authoritarian state to function, things which alt-right politics wholeheartedly support. Basically, the label of “alt-right” is just doublespeak for neo-fascist.

    2. @God Usoland How are you any different from people who use words like “socialist” as a weapon?? CRONY Capitalism is the problem. Small business capitalism is the answer to authoritarian government control.
      Change politician income from corruption-based to performance-based bonuses.

    3. @God Usoland I agree that the US government & the people behind it are terrible. But a blanket term “capitalism” is not accurate. Bankers… Every war is a banker war.
      Saddam switched off the Petro-dollar.
      Gaddafi was making a new currency.
      JFK printed Silver Certificate dollars.
      Lincoln printed Greenback dollars.

      Stopping usury will solve many problems in all types of governments.
      Then stop corruption, but provide incentives for politicians with standard of living performance bonuses.

    4. @Herbert Camacho You’re already halfway there, but still fail to understand the root of the problem. Capitalism itself rewards corruption, because Capitalism is a system that rewards the unceasing accumulation and greedy concentration of wealth. Wealth _is_ power under capitalism, and it is the wealthy who influence government to work for them. Our system is not broken, unfortunately. It’s working exactly as the wealthy and powerful want it too. Therefore, the only way to get rid of corruption is to get rid of the very system that rewards corruption.

    1. It’s pretty sad when people are brainwashed into advocating for their own deaths. And passionate about it to boot.

    2. @MEGA 2020
      Yes it is pretty sad when they are Brainwashed by their own death and passionating about it 👍.

    3. @MEGA 2020
      Hey bud just curious . What was your YouTube profile name before bud .
      My old one was Chrome Magnum .

    1. He’s busy beating up some 60 plus year drunk in some small town dive bar. Didn’t you know? He’s a big tough guy 🤡

  3. typical double speak in the hopes nobody will notice
    the gold is sent to turkey in exchange for food going around US sanctions. ..so then if there were no sanctions there would be no reason to send the gold to turkey right ?
    also mentioning the environmental and human cost of mining oh well maybe if they weren’t under sactions they wouldn’t be desperate to dig gold out of the ground to send to turkey in exchange for food in the 1st place .

  4. Trump was just permanently banned from Denmark 🇩🇰 and Greenland 🇬🇱 He lies about the permanent ban as expected but in Denmark we simply just say NO

    1. Trump threw his toys out of the pram for sure on this one. To cancel a state visit because he was told no is pretty pathetic tbh,generally I don’t mind him but he’s petty af. Denmark was right to say no and shouldn’t back down they’re totally in the right.

  5. AND OF COURSE thus we need to now go there and take over the gold and oil industry LOL. We’ve been trying to starve the Venezuelans to death and the gold mining is giving them a lifeline.

  6. US before they knew about gold: Maduro who?
    US after they know there is gold: Look at all these human right issues that need to be fixed, time to invade

  7. US RACISM FANTASIES ARE ENDLESS.
    Fascist Neolibs and Neocons will never quit trying to rob others to engorge themself on other peoples properties.

  8. IS this the same CNN “journalist” that ‘smelt’ VX gas on a Jihadist’s backpack in Idlib. ))

  9. CNN: Maduro should be civilised and steal VZLN gold from US/UK Banks…. Like a CIVILIZED government.

  10. Why can’t you track the trails of ‘bloody gold’ that leads to the CIA as well? This kind of self-serving news only breeds contempt for the other good work you’ve done before.

  11. Thank you for your amazing journalistic zeal once again CNN. Keep up the amazing work, the world needs more of you.

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