Frequent oil spills darken the ocean and beaches of northwestern Venezuela

Become an Observer The oil spill that contaminated picturesque beaches and waters around Mauritius isla

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The oil spill that contaminated picturesque beaches and waters around Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean made international headlines recently, but half a world away, a similarly devastating catastrophe is receiving much less coverage. Black, oil-polluted waves have been rolling onto coasts in northwestern Venezuela since late July. Unlike in Mauritius where an oil tanker ran aground, the situation in Venezuela isn’t related to a single incident. Instead, it is the result of frequent oil spills caused by a faulty system that includes crumbling oil facilities, a lack of trained staff, and the disregard of regulations.

The first reports of the oil-contaminated water appeared on social media and the Venezualan media around August 1. 

The spilled oil washed up on beaches in Boca de Aroa and Tucacas. These photos were posted online on August 2 by the Fundación Azul Ambientalistas, an environmental organisation.
It took three days for the Ministry of Ecosocialism to recognise the "presence of oil and possible by-products” in the area and said that teams had already started a clean-up using oil absorbent booms to limit the progression of the spill. On August 10, vice-minister for Ecosocialism Josué Lorca said that teams were in the process of cleaning 15 kilometres of shorelines.
These photos show teams working to contain the spread of oil. They were published online on August 12 by someone who went to the affected area.
One of the most affected places is Morrocoy National Park, known for its heavenly beaches and rich ecosystem, including mangroves and coral reefs. There are also many sea turtles. In Falcón state, the oil has reached the wildlife refuge in Cuare, which is home to many bird species.
Teams clean up mangroves in Morrocoy National Park. The video was posted on August 11 by a social media user who visited the affected area.
Oil coats these mangroves in Morrocoy National Park. These photos were published on August 15 by the Fundación Azul Ambientalistas.
Satellite images used to determine the origin of the oil

For the time being, neither the government nor the state oil company PDVSA have made any statements on the origins of the oil, its scale or even the type of fuel that has leaked into the ocean. Their silence has been condemned by both environmental organisations and the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

However, Eduardo Klein, a scientist at Simón Bolívar University, said there is “no doubt” about the origin of the oil. On August 9, he posted two satellite images on Twitter showing the zone in Carabobo state where the El Palito refinery, which is controlled by state oil company PDVSA, is located. While the image taken on July 19 looks normal, the image taken on July 22 shows a large black stain pooling around the refinery.

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