#HTE

The Orinoco Mining Arc is a massive deposit of mineral wealth - primarily gold, diamonds, and coltan - in the Bolivar state of Venezuela.

In February 2016, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared that the area would become a strategic development zone — a move some journalists view as an effort to fill the coffers of the nation and combat dropping oil prices.

Reporters who have visited Orinoco found that, instead of prosperity, crime has increased. The authority of the Venezuelan state has been replaced by organized crime groups who benefit from illegal mining and have brought violence to the region. 

Furthermore, deforestation and the use of mercury in mining activity that continues to develop chaotically cause environmental damage and violate the right to land of 198 indigenous communities.

Information from Edgar López and Julett Pienda
6.196550,-61.455958
Source imagery: DigitalGlobe