Enchanted by tales of El Dorado, the first conquistadors struck out in search of riches down the Orinoco river in 1531. Few returned. And those who did came back empty-handed. The same cannot be said of the region today. In Venezuela, faulty pipelines are quite literally bursting at the seams with crude oil, while militia groups vie for control over the country’s vast mineral wealth – all with devastating consequences for the environment.
One of the most eye-catching headlines to come out of Cop26 this month was the commitment by 141 countries, representing 90 per cent of the world’s forest coverage, to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Venezuela was not among them – the only Amazon nation to shirk its responsibility for protecting the rainforest – even merely in principle. Conservation experts fear the wanton destruction of natural habitats by President Nicolás Maduro’s regime will leave behind a ravaged landscape, almost lunar in its barrenness and suitability for life.
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