An oil spill has contaminated beaches along Venezuela’s northwestern coast, covering the shores with black sludge and disrupting local fishing activities, according to residents and environmental activists. The affected area includes Puerto Cabello, located near the El Palito refinery, which was also linked to a spill last year.
The tar-like substance has caused significant damage, covering an estimated 225 square kilometers (87 square miles), according to environmental researcher Eduardo Klein, who shared satellite images of the spill.
The state oil company, PDVSA, has not yet commented on the situation. However, local fisherman Antonio Giusti noted that the spill has left them unable to work for over a week. “There is still oil” in the waters off Puerto Cabello, he said.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Last year, PDVSA attributed a similar spill to “hydrocarbons, wastewater or effluents” rather than heavy crude oil.
Venezuela, which holds some of the world’s largest oil reserves, has faced a dramatic decline in oil production over the years due to corruption, mismanagement, and U.S. sanctions.
Although production has recovered somewhat to around one million barrels per day, experts caution that much of the country’s infrastructure remains in disrepair, increasing the risk of further environmental disasters.