Illegal mining in Canaima National Park

The environmental organization SOS Orinoco has reported the expansion of illegal mining within Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Recent documentation identified a new 5.8-hectare mining site near the Playa Linda area at the confluence of the Carrao and Caroní rivers.

These extractive activities are causing significant ecological damage, including deforestation, soil alteration, and mercury contamination. The pollution is reportedly spreading up to 100 kilometers downstream, threatening water sources and the livelihoods of local indigenous Pemón communities. Additionally, sedimentation from mining poses a risk to the turbines of the Guri Dam, a vital part of the national energy system.

Reports suggest that some Pemón indigenous leaders are allegedly involved in business agreements with political and military figures to facilitate these operations, causing internal fractures within local communities. SOS Orinoco has criticized the Venezuelan government for repeatedly postponing urgent monitoring missions from UNESCO, emphasizing that international oversight is necessary to protect the park’s ecosystems and the rights of its inhabitants.