Venezuela's south under control of 26 armed groups, SOS Orinoco report finds

The NGO SOS Orinoco released a study documenting the presence of at least 26 organized armed groups (GAO) across the mining region of southern Venezuela. The groups operate in 20 of the 21 municipalities of the Orinoco basin—about 95 % of the area—including the states of Amazonas, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro and the disputed Esequibo.

The report identifies Colombia's Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) as the most widespread actors, present in 16 of the 21 municipalities (76 %). Other actors include the 3R organization, Brazilian garimpeiros, river pirates, indigenous committees, mining unions and local bands. These groups finance their activities through extortion payments known as “vacunas”, control gold and other mineral extraction, impose local rules, and in some communities provide quasi‑government services such as justice mechanisms, food and medicine distribution, and wage payments.