Venezuela's Oil Industry Sees Production Rise Amidst Environmental Concerns and Economic Uncertainty

Venezuela. In Cabimas, a city in the oil-producing region on the shores of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo, 72-year-old retired teacher Jose Alirio Briceño goes fishing on weekends. But lately, he complains that fish are becoming scarce due to pollution.

The view of Lake Maracaibo is also very polluted. Rusted metal objects are visible in the water, and blue-green cyanobacteria have spread due to untreated wastewater. The shore is covered with thick black oil mixed with remnants of old machinery, plastic, and organic waste.