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Venezuelan ombudsman suspects other possible graves after more bodies of missing miners recovered

Xinhua, March 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Venezuela's ombudsman Tarek William Saab announced on Tuesday the possible existence of another mass grave in the Hojalata mine in the southern state of Bolivar in connection with the missing miners case in a nearby village.

"Specialists in the Hojalata mine are carrying out necessary investigations. We have not ruled out the possibility of another mass grave. For that reason, the search continues in another mine," Saab told local media.

Venezuelan investigators on Monday recovered the bodies of 17 people among over 20 missing wildcat miners considered to have been murdered by a gang seeking to control a disputed gold claim, government officials said.

Attorney General Luisa Ortega said late Monday on Twitter that the bodies were found wrapped in black plastic bags and dumped in a five-meter deep mass grave in an area of jungle in Bolivar state where the miners disappeared a week ago.

The Venezuelan ombudsman said that out of the 17 bodies they found yesterday in the village of Tumeremo, 15 are male and two are female.

One person linked to the gang's ringleader is already in custody and several more arrests are expected soon, Ortega said.

Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, said on Monday that the people responsible for the disappearances "will go to jail. Whomsoever should violate our country's rights will feel the full force of the law."

At the same time, Maduro denied links between Bolivar's right-wing political representatives and the illegal mafias who are connected with the crime.

"The mafias are making a scene so that (foreign and national) companies that are interested in acquiring mining concessions pull out," said German Saltron, a Human Rights worker in Venezuela.

In this area of Venezuela, illegal mining has been existed for over a century, according to Saltron, who added that there are at least 4,000 miners working in these conditions.

Former president, Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) highlighted the need to do away with illegal mining in the states of Bolivar and Amazonas, both in the country's south. Endi