The Venezuelan government is currently investigating possible irregularities in the property of more than seven million hectares of land that are currently in private hands.

This information was confirmed by Antonio Albarán, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, who explained that the results of the investigation about to come out will determine whether these lands will be expropriated on the grounds of being State property.

Rulings on 425 landed estates with questionable documentation of their acquisition will be determined this week.

Last week, the State took over the Hato Piñeiro and El Charcote estates, thus rescuing over 110,000 hectares that, according to the research on the documents consigned by their alleged owners, are in fact State property.

The government is currently investigating Hato Paima, a landed estate of 52,000 hectares, 20,000 of which were granted by previous governments, while the other 32,000 were originally idle lands.

Hato Borges estate is also undergoing the same situation. Of its 1,600 hectares, the government ruled that 1,200 would remain as private property, therefore, leaving the remaining 400 hectares under State control.

The governmental actions on these properties deal not only with their original ownership, but also with what the law stipulates regarding the possession of idle arable landed estates, while a great number of peasants are willing to work them.

The president of the National Land Institute (INTI) Eliécer Otaiza, said that according to the current law, this institution can take over the assets of the landed estates subjected to these measures, without having to wait for a court decision.

Nevertheless, those who consider their rights have been affected by these measures, may file their claims in the corresponding courts of justice, with all the guarantees that they are legally entitled to under these circumstances.