Lacava says the reward will be given for “verified and correct information.”
“Here in Carabobo, a machine that is obtained, a machine that I confiscate,” said the governor.
The government of Carabobo state, in the central region of Venezuela, is offering rewards to eradicate Bitcoin mining in the entity. The regional president, Rafael Lacava, announced that USD 1,000 will be awarded to any citizen who provides verified information about the operation of digital mining farms or equipment.
During a video published this Thursday, May 7 on his Instagram account, Lacava justified the measure due to the “electric drama” that the state is going through. The official explained that energy consumption is far above expectationseven in critical areas.
«I am very suspicious and curious that there are some circuits that are protected, because there are facilities that must be protected, for example, hospitals. “These circuits have a much higher energy consumption,” said the governor, suggesting the existence of digital mining farms operating clandestinely in those areas.
The economic incentive seeks to directly involve the population in the detection of computing centers. According to the representative, the payment will be made once the veracity of the complaint is verified.
“I am going to pay $1,000 for each correct information that is sent to me about cryptocurrency farms, about people who are mining in our jurisdiction, in our circuit, especially in the circuits that are protected,” said Lacava. To do this, he urged informants to send addresses and photographs through a WhatsApp number enabled for this purpose.
The governor was emphatic by declaring that “there is no authorization here to mine a bitcoin anywhere in Carabobo.” In addition, he warned that the consequences for those who operate these farms will be severe.
«Here in Carabobo, machine that is obtained, machine that I confiscate. And a sanction from a criminal point of view will probably be applied to the prosecution, because in this condition the one who is mining is a criminal,” he stated.
This situation occurs in a context of high social tension. In sectors such as the south of Valencia, citizens have protested due to electrical outages of 5 to 7 hours under temperatures reaching 35°C. Residents of the area describe the situation as unbearable, pointing out that the lack of electricity seriously affects the mental health and care of children and the elderly.
Likewise, this action is aligned with the guidelines of the Ministry of Electric Energy, which has already carried out the seizure of more than 11,000 Bitcoin mining machines in operations carried out since May 2024, as reported by CriptoNoticias.
Bitcoin mining in Venezuela has had ups and downs since 2020, the year it was legalized. However, the energy crisis has prompted local authorities to be more restrictive regarding its deployment since it has been alleged, since 2018, that it is interfering with the national electricity system.