The cry of the thirsty people. Situation of environmental human rights in the semi-arid region of Lara state
The unsustainable management of drylands, combined with droughts and climate change, accelerates desertification, giving rise to humanitarian crises attributable to water and food scarcity in communities. In Venezuela, the semi-arid region of Lara state has been subjected in recent years to enormous pressure due to the extraction of natural resources by companies promoted or supported by local governments that fail to follow environmental criteria. The objective of this report is to understand the current environmental situation of the semi-arid region of Lara State, as well as the impacts that exploitation activities may have on the human rights of the population in this area of the country. Two situations were found that are potentially accelerating the desertification of the region: Deforestation generated by the extraction of wood for the production of charcoal, cocuy and crafts and the impacts of silica extraction on local water bodies. The analysis reveals that the pressure exerted by these activities directly aggravates desertification and environmental degradation in the region. Furthermore, the available information does not support the claims of companies and government officials that the exploitation activities follow sustainable environmental criteria. The environmental degradation generated by the exploitation of natural resources is causing serious harm to the local population and their human rights. Faced with this situation, the Venezuelan State is failing to comply with its obligations regarding environmental conservation, the protection of citizens and the defense of human rights. Additionally, a problem of environmental justice is arising from this situation as environmental degradation disproportionately affects
