Venezuela to investigate alleged deaths of 28 miners

Venezuela's National Assembly, with an opposition majority, will investigate the alleged deaths of 28 miners in the southern state of Bolivar, which was denied by local authorities, the Assembly's vice president announced Monday.

The National Assembly will investigate what is happening in Bolivar, the Assembly's vice president, Simon Calzadilla, told a private radio station in reference to the claims that surfaced last weekend about an alleged incident in a gold mine.

Calzadilla said the case is "a reflection of prevailing anarchy" and should also have to be corroborated by the South American country's Attorney General.

The National Assembly will work alongside experts and prosecutors from the country's Public Prosecutor's Office.

The officials from the Public Prosecutor's Office travelled to the village of Tumeremo on Sunday in the municipality of Sifontes in Bolivar. This is where the mining accident allegedly occurred.

Members of the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigative Corps (CICPC) have also travelled to the location but haven't released further information yet. The Ombudsman Office joined the investigation on Monday.

The first claims of the alleged mining accident were made by opposition representative Americo de Grazia.

Bolivar Governor Francisco Rangel responded to de Grazia by saying that the claims were "absolutely false."

Rangel criticized de Grazia for making such a claim and asked for an investigation to be opened against de Grazia. Endi