ÁNGELES ZÚÑIGA

StaffContributor
Written By Weave News

Ángeles Zúñiga is a candid human rights advocate from Venezuela and a Research Associate with Weave News. She graduated from St. Lawrence University, with a major in Global Studies and a double minor in Film and Education. She previously served as a Legal & Policy Intern at the Human Rights Foundation. Ángeles has a transdisciplinary approach to life and her background as a displaced migrant is the driving force behind her work on migration and human rights.

@anxelec on Insta / @anggelezz on Twitter

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The Myth of Responsible Mining Debunked: Venezuela’s Orinoco Mining Arc
The Myth of Responsible Mining Debunked: Venezuela’s Orinoco Mining Arc

n 2016, Venezuela’s government designated the Orinoco Mining Arc for extractive activities. What is allegedly envisioned as a development zone, meant to increase the mining revenue of the nation, is in fact an epicenter for human rights violations, illicit mineral extraction and ecocide. However, the authoritarian Maduro regime continuously denies and distances itself from these crimes. As this analysis shows, in officialist Venezuelan media outlets, many things are left unsaid regarding this highly contested territory. ​​

The Hidden Crisis: Venezuela’s Imminent Ecocide and the Orinoco Mining Arc
The Hidden Crisis: Venezuela’s Imminent Ecocide and the Orinoco Mining Arc

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro created the National Strategic Development Zone of the Orinoco Mining Arc in 2016. Commonly known as the Arco Minero, it comprises an area of 111,843.70 km², larger than Cuba, adjacent to the Orinoco river, and is designated for unlawful mineral extraction. The Arco represents 12% of the country’s territory and is a severe environmental problem for the region.

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