Publication

Venezuelan crime syndicates and Colombian guerrilla groups are creating new threats across southern Venezuela as they compete for control of the region’s valuable mineral resources. This matters as the presence of organized crime and guerrilla groups harms communities, diverts scarce resources and prompts sky-high murder rates. Further, this has come about as the region´s ongoing economic crisis has driven many impoverished Venezuelans into working in the illegal mining sector. In response, this publication examines the scope and roots of the problem and provides recommendations for humanitarian actors. This includes the suggestion that outside powers should stop considering military intervention and instead help broker a peaceful transition in Venezuela, lest chaos ensue.