News hitting the wires today is that according to the ex-governor of Bolivar State in Venezuela, 28 miners were attacked murdered “and quartered” by a rival band of miners connected to a rival gang of illegal gold miners known as “el topo” (the mole).
The incident occurred when the victims were celebrating the discovery of a new gold vein they were about to start mining at a traditional celebration party called a “bulla” (literally “noise” in Spanish). The rival gang were alerted to the discovery and moved in, killing the miners at their party and dumping their bodies in an old mine shaft. Families of the apparent victims have blocked roads in the region in protest.