Since US intervention, Venezuela’s illegal mining crisis has only worsened, critics say

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited Venezuela in March, joining a dozen mining executives to meet with local officials in Caracas. They discussed establishing a legitimate mining sector and eliminating criminal groups operating on many mining sites. Burgum claimed the mining sector in Venezuela could be worth billions.

This visit followed a U.S. military operation that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro and placed him under detention in New York. Since the intervention, officials have touted a new era for Venezuela, aiming to boost foreign investment by passing mining reform laws, dismantling criminal group leaders, and dismantling illegal mining sites.

The U.S. is also contemplating an executive order to enhance access to critical minerals, as reported by Reuters. However, critics argue that the illegal mining crisis is worsening, not improving. Illegal mining has been expanding this year, even in protected regions, while criminal mining groups have solidified their influence across various parts of the country, according to sources quoted by Mongabay.

Cristina Burelli, the founder of SOSOrinoco, an organization examining the social and environmental consequences of mining in Venezuela, told Mongabay, "Since Maduro's capture, nothing has changed in the criminal and legal landscape. In fact, we've observed an increase in certain areas."