Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signed a deal with Turkey on Friday to continue gold mining in a region of southern Venezuela, large portions of which have been ravaged by illegal mining.
“Turkey’s investment is aimed at maintaining gold development [dans] “Mining Arc” of the Orinoco, said Mr. Maduro, a territory of some 112,000 square kilometers, rich in gold and other minerals such as iron and coltan and which is the subject of illegal extraction.
“We are going to develop these gold fields and I wish good luck that what we sign […] becomes an example of ecological development, respectful of nature and very productive,” said Mr. Maduro.
For years, environmental defenders have denounced what they consider to be an “ecocide” in this region, resulting from the rise of illegal mining, causing pollution of waterways and of deforestation.
The Venezuelan government also signed agreements with Ankara for the construction of a refinery intended for the production of ammonia and the exploitation of gas fields.
“These are three major future projects for petrochemicals, gas and gold,” described the head of state, whose appearances on state television are increasing ahead of the presidential election on 28 July.
Mr Maduro celebrated the “win-win alliance between Turkey and Venezuela”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoga plans to visit the Latin American country this year, but no date has yet been announced.
Mr. Erdogan visited Venezuela in December 2018 to support his counterpart Nicolas Maduro after the United States and several European Union countries disavowed his re-election, due to accusations of fraud.
