A study conducted jointly by media outlets such as Armando.info and El País, with the support of the Pulitzer Center's Tropical Forest Research Network and the Norwegian institution Earthrise Media, revealed horrific figures showing the gigantic damage caused by illegal mining in Venezuela. These investigations are becoming increasingly important these days: on Tuesday, February 20, the Bulla Loca mine collapsed in Bolívar, killing more than 10 people.
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Deforestation caused by illegal mining reaches 40,000 football fields
One of the most revealing data the investigation revealed was the amount of forests and vegetation destroyed by the illegal mining business. On average, a football field can be between 6,400 and 7.40 square meters; Well, our estimates of deforestation in Venezuela are 40,000 professional soccer fields, terrible numbers for the Venezuelan Amazon.
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How many illegal mines are there in Venezuela?
Although it is true – since these are illegal companies – there are no exact figures, according to a publication by Armando Info. However, after a study using satellites and artificial intelligence, 3,718 sectors with mining activity were counted. It is estimated that the majority of this would be illegal. In addition, up to 42 secret highways used for transporting illegal gold and drug trafficking have been discovered near these areas.
Satellite map of mines in Venezuela. Photo: Armando Info
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What happened in the Bolívar mine collapse?
The event took place last Tuesday, February 20, at 3:00 p.m. (local time).Venezuela), in Bolívar. In the following hours, several victims were rescued. At the moment, the number of people affected has not yet been confirmed and only approximate figures are available. In this context, the Minister of Citizen Security in Bolívar,Edgar Colina Reyes,They arrived at the site in the early hours of Wednesday 21st. In addition, the Bolívar Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis Operations Zone (Zoedan) submitted a report stating that it was an “artisanal open-pit mine” where “some injured and boarded-up miners are found.” “
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