Miners in Venezuela will have to register in the State Office for Cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, the police continue to raid Venezuelan miners, confiscating their equipment.

The Venezuelan government announced the launch of the first Supervisory Board for Blockchain. At the press conference, dedicated to the launch of the new regulatory body, Carlos Vargas, the head of the Office for Cryptocurrency, said that on 2 December the online platform for registration of Venezuelan miners will be launched.

“We can report that we are starting to accumulate a single register of subjects of mining activity in the country. Since 22 December, all those who are engaged in digital currencies mining in Venezuela will be able to register on the website. We want to know who they are, where they are located and what equipment they use. This will be another step to regulate digital currencies mining in Venezuela,” Vargas said.

Answering the question of whether the registration will result in additional taxes to be paid, the head of the Office said that the purpose of creating a register is to ensure that new technologies "serve the country."

Vargas also called on Venezuela's research centers and universities, as well as anyone interested in new technology, to study cryptocurrencies and blockchain that can help Venezuela overcome current economic problems and thus help the country "not be slaves of the traditional financial system."

Vargas also explained the details of the launch of El Petro, claimed to be the national virtual currency of Venezuela. According to Vargas, $100 billion from the sale of oil and oil products will be channeled from the budget to back El Petro.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, the national police continue crackdowns on miners, confiscating their equipment. Thus, on 9 December, in Barquisimeto, the police seized 21 mining computers installed in a warehouse and arrested 31-year-old Daniel Andrés Di Bartolomeo Viloria, who was accused of illegal enrichment, computer crime, terrorism financing, money laundering and damage of power supply systems.