No more miners' bodies found: Venezuelan official

Venezuela's chief prosecutor on Wednesday ruled out the possibility that more than 17 miners were murdered in the goldmine violence in the southern state of Bolivar.

"It is absolutely clear that there are no more than 17 victims...we have no information about a number 18," Attorney General Luisa Ortega told local media in Tumeremo, Bolivar, after the search for missing miners ended.

While media reports have placed the death toll at at least 21, Ortega said the Public Prosecutor's Office has processed all the claims of the missing miners and they did not indicate a higher number of the victims.

More than 20 gold miners have been missing since violence erupted on March 4 at the Atenas mines, about an hour's drive from the village of Tumeremo, and 17 bodies have been found so far, according to officials.

All the victims were killed by gunfire, 16 of whom were shot in the head and the other one in the chest, Ortega said.

The officials have identified the alleged mastermind of the massacre and arrested his top assistant.

"The truth will prevail, and the guilty will be found and punished," said Ortega.

A lawmaker from the ruling party on Wednesday announced the government will establish a special military zone in the mining region following the killings of the miners.

"President (Nicolas) Maduro called for the creation of a special military zone ..., a policy that will impose order on this entire region overrun by the mafia," said Hector Rodriguez, head of the socialist faction in parliament. Endi