Venezuela Evicts Over 14,000 Illegal Miners From Yapacana Park

On Sunday, Gen. Domingo Hernandez, the Strategic Operational Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) announced that the Yapacana National Park had been completely freed from illegal mining.

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“Within the framework of Operation Autana2023 for the liberation of the Cerro Yapacana National Park, where all types of human activity are prohibited, over 14,000 illegal miners have been evacuated through a total deployment for the well-being of man and the planet,” General Dominguez said.

“For us, the homeland comes first. "Any human group cannot believe itself with the right to wantonly and arbitrarily destroy the homeland, violating the sovereign norms of the entire Venezuelan people," General Dominguez said.

In the operation, the FANB destroyed machinery and camps that were installed at the foot and at the top of Yapacana Hill.

This happened in accordance with the environmental protection policies established by the administration of President Nicolas Maduro.

On Friday, Gen. Hernandez announced that the Third Control Court issued precautionary judicial measures for the protection of Yapacana Park and authorized the FANB to dismantle the camps and structures used for illegal mining.

The Court's order enables FANB to retain, seize and eliminate dredgers, engines, machinery, hoses, power plants, compressors, motorcycle pumps, pans, grinders, and any other element that can be used to contaminate waters, destroy vegetation, and degradate soils.

The Yapacana Park is an area rich in biodiversity that is located in the Guayanese shield in the Amazon state. This area is surrounded by the Orinoco, Ventuari, and Yagua rivers.