IACHR and REDESCA: Venezuela Must Protect the Yanomami People from the Advance of Illegal Mining and other Illicit Activities

October 21, 2024

Washington D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Office of the Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights (OSRESCER) express deep concern about the impacts of illegal mining and other illicit activities on the life, health, and survival of the Yanomami people in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Faced with increasing violence, the spread of infectious diseases, and environmental degradation, Venezuela must take immediate, concrete steps to protect the human rights of the Yanomami people through a culturally appropriate approach.

According to Yanomami leaders, the presence of illegal miners (garimpeiros) and incursions by Brazilian and Colombian groups linked to illicit economies have fueled violence in the states of Amazonas, Bolívar, and Delta Amacuro. This situation has resulted in widespread displacement, trafficking for sexual exploitation, and other forms of slavery, especially affecting older adults, children, and women. Consequently, traditional ways of life and even the very existence of the Yanomami people are under threat.

Additionally, an acute health crisis is compounding the vulnerability of Amazonian Indigenous communities. Reports indicate mercury contamination in water sources, which has disrupted hunting and fishing activities, exacerbating malnutrition. Furthermore, communities face heightened exposure to diseases such as respiratory infections, tuberculosis, diarrhea, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. According to the Yanomami people's own records malaria alone has claimed the lives of at least 390 Yanomami people over the past two years.

These developments align with the documented violence reported by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Between 2014 and 2022, this Mission recorded 832 violent deaths, including 237 allegedly by State agents, 96 possible disappearances, 107 cases of alleged torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as well as 729 liberty violations by private persons and illegal groups.

Under inter-American human rights standards, Indigenous peoples have the right to special protection of their physical, psychological, and cultural integrity, enabling them to live free from violence, discrimination, and exploitation. This protection involves safeguarding their culture, territory, and self-determination, which are essential to their identity, well-being and continued survival. Therefore, Venezuela must implement immediate and effective measures to prevent, investigate, and sanction actions that threaten the lives and integrity of the Yanomami, whether these threats arise from third parties or State agents.

The IACHR and OSRESCER further emphasize that monitoring human rights in the Orinoco Mining Arc is complex due to limited transparency, State reluctance to allow international scrutiny, and the lack of independence of institutions such as the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman's Office. Accordingly, they urge Venezuela to produce and release verifiable information on the Yanomami's situation and to take urgent measures to ensure that human rights institutions operate independently and autonomously.

The Office of the Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights is an office created by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) with the objective of strengthening the promotion and protection of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights in the Americas, leading the Commission's efforts in this area.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 257/24

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