03:10An oil spill in Lake Maracaibo threatened both the fishing industry and marine life, as seen on footage filmed on Wednesday.
Oil can be seen reaching a beach area with residents cleaning their boats and navigating through the contaminated waters. Fisherman Valmiro Rivera appealed to the Venezuelan government as well as the Institute for the Control and Conservation of the Lake Maracaibo Basin - and state-owned oil and gas company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) - to take proactive measures in addressing the polluted waters. He added that action had to be "quick and immediate because we are practically starving."
"We fishermen have no production, there is no production, and we have no way to work because the consequences of the oil spill means we can't work,” another stated.
PDVSA has not commented at time of publication. The US reimposed sanctions on the country's oil industry last year, just six months after lifting them. The temporary lifting of restrictions saw the country ramp up production, while media reports blamed a lack of investment in the industry and maintenance while under sanctions for regular spills.
'We are practically starving!' - Venezuelans reel as Lake Maracaibo oil spill threatens local fishing industry
An oil spill in Lake Maracaibo threatened both the fishing industry and marine life, as seen on footage filmed on Wednesday.
Oil can be seen reaching a beach area with residents cleaning their boats and navigating through the contaminated waters. Fisherman Valmiro Rivera appealed to the Venezuelan government as well as the Institute for the Control and Conservation of the Lake Maracaibo Basin - and state-owned oil and gas company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) - to take proactive measures in addressing the polluted waters. He added that action had to be "quick and immediate because we are practically starving."
"We fishermen have no production, there is no production, and we have no way to work because the consequences of the oil spill means we can't work,” another stated.
PDVSA has not commented at time of publication. The US reimposed sanctions on the country's oil industry last year, just six months after lifting them. The temporary lifting of restrictions saw the country ramp up production, while media reports blamed a lack of investment in the industry and maintenance while under sanctions for regular spills.
An oil spill in Lake Maracaibo threatened both the fishing industry and marine life, as seen on footage filmed on Wednesday.
Oil can be seen reaching a beach area with residents cleaning their boats and navigating through the contaminated waters. Fisherman Valmiro Rivera appealed to the Venezuelan government as well as the Institute for the Control and Conservation of the Lake Maracaibo Basin - and state-owned oil and gas company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) - to take proactive measures in addressing the polluted waters. He added that action had to be "quick and immediate because we are practically starving."
"We fishermen have no production, there is no production, and we have no way to work because the consequences of the oil spill means we can't work,” another stated.
PDVSA has not commented at time of publication. The US reimposed sanctions on the country's oil industry last year, just six months after lifting them. The temporary lifting of restrictions saw the country ramp up production, while media reports blamed a lack of investment in the industry and maintenance while under sanctions for regular spills.