{"id":42005,"date":"2026-03-06T07:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T15:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=42005"},"modified":"2026-03-07T04:48:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:48:47","slug":"venezuelas-fragile-environment-faces-rising-risks-as-us-pushes-for-oil-and-critical-minerals-and-illegal-gold-mining-spreads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/venezuelas-fragile-environment-faces-rising-risks-as-us-pushes-for-oil-and-critical-minerals-and-illegal-gold-mining-spreads\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela\u2019s fragile environment faces rising risks as US pushes for oil and critical minerals and illegal gold mining spreads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Antonio Machado Allison<\/a>, Wesleyan University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venezuela\u2019s Orinoco River Basin is a wild land of lush forests, grasslands and a vast delta of jungle wetlands teeming with wildlife. River dolphins and endangered Orinoco crocodiles ply its waterways, and over 1,000 freshwater fish and bird species can be found there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the rainy season, the Orinoco is the world\u2019s third-largest river<\/a> by discharge. But this region \u2013 which Venezuelans rely on for water and hydropower<\/a> \u2013 is facing a growing environmental disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Warao
A view along the Orinoco River, a crucial waterway in Venezuela. Wojtek Zagorski\/Moment via Getty Images<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over millions of years, organic and geological processes left the fragile region rich in both biodiversity and mineral resources, including the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserve<\/a> and valuable metals such as gold, iron and coltan, a source<\/a> of niobium and tantalum for the tech industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illegal mining that accelerated under former President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro over the past decade is tearing up one of the most biodiverse regions of the world<\/a>, with little sign of stopping. Now, the Trump administration is pushing to ramp up critical minerals mining and oil<\/a> drilling in Venezuela, where the industry has a long history of oil spills and neglected equipment, with little discussion of protecting the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mining is expanding in the forests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mineral exploitation in Venezuela is as old as the country. Historically, a few big mines were run by international companies and mining was controlled. But in the early 2010s, the government of former President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez nationalized the gold industry<\/a> and hinted that the government would open small-scale mining to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, Maduro, facing falling oil production and scrambling for revenue, followed through, declaring a large part of the Orinoco River Basin to be the Orinoco Mining Arc, where mining would be prioritized. The region encompasses about 12% of Venezuela, including national monuments, national parks<\/a> and Indigenous communities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, tens of thousands of people mine in the jungle, living in often squalid, violent and contaminated conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal gangs<\/a> known as \u201ccolectivos\u201d or \u201csindicatos\u201d control many of the mining operations<\/a> with little government intervention<\/a>. Guerrilla groups from Colombia<\/a> have also spilled over the border into the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mining operations cut down forests and remove soil. Toxic materials, including mercury used to extract gold from ore, pour into rivers, contaminating the water<\/a> and harming the workers, wildlife<\/a> and surrounding communities<\/a> that rely on local fish and wildfire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Images
An aerial view shows before and after photos (top) and close-up images of the impact of gold mining in the Cuyuni and Rio Amarillo regions of Bolivar state, Venezuela. Charles Brewer Carias; Google Earth\/Digital Globe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The mines also promote the spread of tropical infectious diseases<\/a> and disrupt indigenous and rural communities<\/a>. Evidence of environmental disasters and human rights violations<\/a>, including human trafficking, child labor and sexual assault<\/a>, have been documented by several public and private organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil and the law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The same Orinoco River Basin holds part of the world\u2019s largest proven crude oil reserves<\/a>. After the Trump administration seized Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026, and arrested him on drug trafficking charges, it said the U.S would control that oil<\/a>. But what exactly that will mean and how the oil industry will respond remains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By law, oil and other natural and mineral resources belong to the state<\/a> in Venezuela. Oil exploration, extraction and commercialization are carried out through a system called \u201cconcessions\u201d \u2013 contracts between the government and national or foreign private companies. In exchange for access to resources, the country receives an income, or tribute, from the profits generated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Constitution<\/a> of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, approved in 1999, also clearly states that \u201cthe State shall protect the environment, biological and genetic diversity, ecological processes, national parks and natural monuments, and other areas of particular ecological importance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysts estimate that rebuilding the industry, which has been plagued by poorly maintained infrastructure<\/a> and leaks and spills<\/a>, would take years to decades<\/a>. It would likely mean more roads in a region already losing pristine forest<\/a> and put more of the environment and water at risk. The region\u2019s heavy oil production has also led to water pollution<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A mural in Venezuela\u2019s capital, Caracas, reflects the country\u2019s long reliance on the oil industry. AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the 1920s, oil drilling helped lift the economy of Venezuela, previously a very poor, largely agrarian country. The country had been plagued with malaria and other tropical diseases, the population was poorly educated, and there were continuous fights among military strongmen, known as \u201ccaudillos.\u201d Oil brought in foreign investment, making Venezuela the second-largest oil producer<\/a> in the world by 1928 and its largest exporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1976, with the country\u2019s economy heavily dependent on oil, Venezuela nationalized the oil industry<\/a>. Foreign industries could partner with the state oil company, but only if the government held the controlling share of the joint ventures. Boom times led to inflation<\/a>, and oil price drops became disastrous for the economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. began imposing sanctions<\/a> on Venezuela in 2015 over drug trafficking and human rights abuses, and those sanctions increased during the Trump administrations. Between the sanctions and mismanagement<\/a>, Venezuela\u2019s oil production collapsed<\/a>, and with it, the national economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Oil spills from Venezuela\u2019s neglected industry contaminate Lake Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela. Scenes like this are what environmental and Indigenous groups fear if oil drilling expands in the Orinoco Oil Belt. AP Photo\/Rodrigo Abd<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Venezuelans\u2019 future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the removal of Maduro, former Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez<\/a> is in charge of the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, she signed legislation that eases state control over oil drilling<\/a> but keeps ownership of the hydrocarbon reserves with the nation. She also met with U.S. officials in March and pledged to accelerate mining reforms<\/a> that would give foreign companies access to Venezuelan minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shift in leadership does not guarantee other changes<\/a> from Maduro\u2019s regime, however. In her past roles, including as minister of foreign affairs and economy and as vice president, Rodriguez was involved in overseeing the Orinoco Mining Arc<\/a> at a time when criminal activity and illegal mining were rapidly expanding there, environmental groups point out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Mining barges, noted in red, and mined areas are visible from satellite along the Orinoco River inside Canaima National Park. The green line is the park boundary. SOSOrinoco<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Studies of satellite data tracking deforestation suggest that Venezuela lost roughly 185 square miles<\/a> (480 square kilometers) to gold mining alone from 2018 to 2025. Mining has moved into national parks<\/a>, including Canaima, home to Angel Falls<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venezuela, meanwhile, is still deep in an economic crisis<\/a> that led to millions of people leaving<\/a> the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The majority of the population lives in poverty<\/a>, and inflation continued to skyrocket in early 2026<\/a>. As the U.S. eases sanctions<\/a>, that is likely to help, but the country has many problems to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antonio Machado Allison<\/a>, Professor of Environment and Latin American Studies, Wesleyan University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Antonio Machado Allison, Wesleyan University Venezuela\u2019s Orinoco River Basin is a wild land of lush forests, grasslands and a vast delta of jungle wetlands teeming with wildlife. River dolphins and endangered Orinoco crocodiles ply its waterways, and over 1,000 freshwater fish and bird species can be found there. During the rainy season, the Orinoco is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":42006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,46,42,295,10,25,118,296,4,3410],"tags":[16128,144,6013,2198,3939,3942,885,891,886,860,1868,17013,235,1602,2811,1684,4590],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42005"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42005"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42008,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42005\/revisions\/42008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}