Featured Articles - Environment

The Wayúu, Yukpa, and Barí indigenous communities who would have been displaced by the coal mining projects in their lands cautiously interpret the Chavez government's suspension of these projects as a temporary sign of relief. But their struggle against coal mining has lasted a quarter of a century and will not conclude until mining concessions are repealed for good.

In Maracaibo, Kozloff interviewed Jorge Hinestroza, a sociologist at the University of Zulia and former General Coordinator of the Federation of Zulia Ecologists. During the insightful hour long interview, Hinestroza illuminated many of the contradictions within the Chavez government’s environmental policy.

The forests of the world are disappearing at a rate like never before seen and Venezuela may rank on the top 10 deforestation list, but two weeks ago Venezuela began to fight back.

Gold mining and logging are destroying huge parts of the Imataca forest reserve in Eastern Venezuela. Critics say the mining and logging activities are illegal and profits mainly flow to multinational companies abroad. It all has to do with Decree 3,110, which President Chavez issued half a year ago.