On Tuesday, Gen. Domingo Hernandez, the commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), reported on the eviction of 491 people who were carrying out artisanal mining operations in a national water reserve located in the Gran Sabana municipality in the Amazon.
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Venezuela Fights Illegal Mining in the Bolivar & Amazon States
Previously, he also reported on the eviction of 453 illegal miners from the Agua Blanca area inside the Caura national park, which is a protected area located between the states of Amazonas and Bolivar.
In the last 30 days, the FANB have evicted over 7,000 people who were carrying out extractive activities in the ecosystems located in the Venezuelan Amazon region.
Through these operations, Venezuelan authorities seek to avoid “an arbitrary and uncontrolled ecocide that disrespects territorial planning,” Hernandez said.
The text reads, "Operation Fog 2024: FANB combats illegal mining in the Amazon."
Currently, over 2,500 soldiers are deployed carrying out operations against illegal mining in national parks, forest reserves and watersheds.
Through social networks, the FANB Commander recalled that Venezuelan laws prohibit activities related to agriculture, mining and agroforestry in national parks.
To guarantee the protection of biodiversity and native ecosystems, current regulations also do not allow permanent forestry use, the introduction of exotic plants, or the construction of urbanizations.