Video clip of Arria-Formula Meeting of the Security Council Formula on Gold Rush in Venezuela

On September 10, 2018, briefer Marshall Billingslea, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, U.S. Department of the Treasury made a presentation at an informal Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council that focused on the pervasive corruption in Venezuela that has led to instability and a humanitarian crisis, a key aspect of which is the current Gold Rush that is devastating the environment and indigenous peoples.

Clic on this link to watch the video clip of Marshall Billingsley’s presentation on the current Gold Rush in Venezuela that has been set in motion by Nicolas Maduro’s illegal decree of the Orinoco Mining Belt (Arco Minero del Orinoco) and is devastating indigenous peoples, the environment, and poisoning rivers due to the rampant use of mercury. Maduro and senior officials of the armed forces are running illegal mining operations in conjunction with criminal gangs.  In addition to the devastation, the big question is where all this gold is going to?

Our position on
the Orinoco Mining Arc

Arco Minero del Orinoco

The purpose of SOSOrinoco is to shed light on the existing body of work regarding the situation in the Amazonia and Orinoquia regions of Venezuela, to raise awareness of the tragedy that is occurring and to outline some urgent measures that need to be taken in order to halt the unfolding human and environmental disaster.