A recent report by the Venezuelan Observatory on Environmental Human Rights presented the results of an investigation into the oil spills that have occurred in Venezuela from 2016 to 2021
The report entitled Derrames Petroleros en Venezuela (2016 – 2021) ¿Derechos humanos naufragando en un mar de petróleo derramado? (Oil Spills in Venezuela 2016 – 2021: Human rights sinking in a sea of spilled oil?) compiled information on 199 spills that have occurred since the last report published in 2016 by the Venezuelan public oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) on spills derived from its operations. The report also shows how the situation has a negative impact on the human rights of the residents of the affected areas.
The study is based on the monitoring of media sources, social media, databases on oil spills compiled by private organizations and reports from Venezuelan civil society given that neither PDVSA nor the national authorities have provided information on specific aspects of the oil spills or their possible impacts. In the same way, the investigation contrasted the data provided by the state oil company in its latest report, in which it mentioned the occurrence of 8,250 spills in 2016 alone, for an average of more than 22 spills every day.
According to Alejandro Álvarez Iragorry, general coordinator of Venezuelan NGO Clima21, the report shows the existence of growing misinformation about the problem of oil spills in Venezuela, which means that the assessment by parties outside the industry can only record a fraction of them.
“Despite this, the data collected in this report and also from other investigations under review allow us to establish trends and general effects of oil spills in Venezuela. One relevant issue is that the frequency of these accidents seems to continue to increase in recent years,” he noted.
The Venezuelan Observatory on Environmental Human Rights asserted that the report presents data that confirms that these disasters are affecting the rights to health and a decent life of the involved communities and giving rise to the deterioration of essential environmental conditions that allow the enjoyment of a healthy, safe and ecologically balanced environment. The lack of official data also shows the neglect of the Venezuelan State in dealing with the situation and acting to protect the population from the damage caused by the spills and mitigate their consequences.
“The Venezuelan State is ignoring its obligations derived from the international standards on human rights, as well as national laws and international agreements and commitments regarding environmental management and conservation,” said the environmental activist.
Finally, the findings of the study urge the Venezuelan State, and PDVSA as the state oil company, to assume their responsibility and obligations regarding oil spills and establish actions to restore and update policies, technical standards and procedures aimed at prevention, control, and mitigation of oil spills, with a human rights approach and under the guidelines of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the obligations derived from international agreements and protocols in the field.
You can download the full report in Spanish HERE
Translated by Jose Rafael Medina
