Collapse of illegal gold mine in Venezuela lays bare feelings of abandonment in rural communities

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

LA PARAGUA, Venezuela (AP) — The collapse of an illegally operated gold mine in a remote area of central Venezuela has laid bare the sense of abandonment that plagues communities across the South American country. La Paragua is the closest community to the open-pit Bulla Loca mine, where dozens of men and women worked at any given time, and residentss repeatedly expressed frustration with the government as funerals for victims began Thursday. At least 16 people were killed in one of the worst accidents in Venezuela’s poorly regulated mining industry.