I have resisted so far writing on the latest sort of scandal because from the start, the exactitude of the 80 Yanomami natives killed seemed strange. I mean, 80, such a round number a few weeks before election time. I am also pleased to note that the Capriles campaign has remained discreet on this matter, leaving to others to ask for investigations. Including Brazil, whose own garimpeiros are accused of and who does not need to be further sullied by this raucous group.
However the speed at which the regime is saying that they have no evidence so far leaves me equally uneasy. For example, the official communique stating simply that "we are investigating, but Amazonas state is big and empty so we do not have all the needed data yet" is not coming. Instead the regime dispatched promptly the indigenous minister, a native herself, who went out today to say that there was nothing wrong while admitting that the investigation had not reached 48 hours. At least that is what I surmise from her words.
And I am further confused when the Yanomami "leader" who asked for investigation at first is quickly backpedaling and complaining that the media took him at his word and seek an investigation. Then again there is the tale of kidnapped victims by the regime. Murkiness in full....
We need to be carefull beofre jumping into conclusion on such a grave affair.
This being said, let's not forget the faults of the Venezuelan army out to make a buck in the wilderness of the South, from transforming the state into a narco state, to colluding with garimpeiros to get illegal gold mining where a nice take is out for the local officers. On this account we have quite a few stories, including the recent devastation of the upper Caura river, one of the last pristine rivers of the continent, no more.
I do not know if the Yanomami were killed. However I will bet anything that if indeed there was such a genocidal expedition, local army is involved. Then again, can we call the Venezuelan army an army?