The President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, ordered a thorough cleaning of the Amazon from illegal mining that has caused the destruction of national parks.
“Venezuela is waging a daily battle for the protection, defense and cleansing of the Venezuelan Amazon of all illegal mining, which has caused destruction to national parks,” he said.
During his program number 6 of With Maduro +the head of state demanded respect for the laws that protect ecology “that protect the environment” to guarantee that the jungles, national parks and a healthy Amazon “so that they go to recovery and reforestation.
Maduro stressed that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) is deployed waging a battle with hundreds and thousands of troops. “We must continue the battle to defend everything that is ours,” the president instructed the FANB.
He explained that he receives daily full reports of all the work to protect, defend, and clean up the Venezuelan Amazon “against illegal mining by both Venezuelan and foreign miners from Brazil, Colombia, Asia, among others,” he said.
He was emphatic in pointing out that illegal mining has caused serious destruction to national parks “and we cannot allow it and we are not going to allow it,” he reiterated.
Finally, he invited the media to be vigilant and support this battle that is taking place in defense of “our jungles, national parks and our Amazon.”
The order responds to the recent dismantling of 28 accommodation structures and warehouses with logistical materials (25 engines, 14 power plants, 13 pumps, cables, hoses, PVC pipes, stone grinders and electric saws) destined for illegal mining in the Cerro Yapacana National Parklocated in the state of Amazonas, in the context of Operation Autana.
