How Venezuela’s Oil Industry Killed Lake Maracaibo

Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo, South America’s largest and oldest waterbody, is at risk. The lake is situated in the heart of the Maracaibo Basin, one of the continent’s richest oil-producing regions. After the Zumaque 1 wildcat well found black gold on Lake Maracaibo’s eastern shore, Venezuela’s oil industry rapidly expanded, covering the ancient waterbody with persistently leaking pipelines, storage tanks, and derricks. This triggered a devastating environmental disaster, which could worsen after the United States intervened…