Environmental experts warn of ecological catastrophe as venezuela’s political crisis deepens resource extraction pressures

Environmental scientists are raising urgent concerns about Venezuela’s fragile ecosystems as the country’s political upheaval intensifies pressure on its vast natural resources. With more than half of Venezuela covered by forest—including critical Amazon Basin territory—along with extensive grasslands, wetlands, and thousands of kilometers of Caribbean coastline, the nation’s environmental challenges are reaching a critical threshold.

“If environmental risks aren’t taken into account in this process, we’re probably facing a potential environmental catastrophe of a very large magnitude,” warns Eduardo Klein, a marine ecology professor at Simón Bolívar University in Caracas. The country’s ecosystems were already severely strained under previous governance, but experts fear that increased focus on resource extraction could accelerate environmental degradation.

Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves at an estimated 300 billion barrels, yet produces less than a million barrels daily due to infrastructure decay and mismanagement. The environmental toll is already visible: in 2024 alone, at least 65 oil spills occurred across eight states, according to the Venezuelan Observatory for Political Ecology. The country’s heavy crude oil requires special processing equipment and poses additional environmental risks compared to lighter oils found elsewhere.

With international attention focused on Venezuela’s economic potential, environmental advocates stress that ecological protection must be prioritized to prevent irreversible damage to one of South America’s most biodiverse regions.