Illegal mining within the Canaima National Park in #Venezuela, a World Heritage Site designated by @unescowhc.@NicolasMaduro gov’t is responsible for this ecocide. We should raise our voices against this ecocide @UNEnvironment @UN #sosOrinoco

Outdated and destructive mining techniques in Las Claritas Mines and illegal mining is spreading uncontrolled, devastating the environment along the way and increasing malaria to epidemic numbers, toward World Heritage Site Canaima National Park and Imataca National Park

Recent satellite images (May 2018 reveal and confirm the location of the illegal mining site Maraya inside YAPAKANA National Park in Amazonas State (Venezuela) where any type of mining is forbidden in the 1999 Constitution of Venezuela. Criminal illegal mining in this state is not only allowed but exploited by the Venezuelan Armed Forces, in particular by the regional command REDI Guayana.

This past week the presence of ELN guerrillas has been confirmed in the the town of Guasipati, Edo. Bolivar. This is far east of the border between Colombia and Venezuela, confirming what has long been suspected and rumored, that the government of Venezuela has lost control of our national sovereignty and has probably made a deal with the ELN, allowing it to make incursions way inside Venezuelan territory.