Mining in LATAM: Is it even possible to do ethically?

With the US about to enter a mining sector in Venezuela dominated by criminal armed groups, and in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, many experts are focused on profits.But mining in Latin America has long been fraught with problems, from ecological disaster to the empowerment of non-state actors. Some communities, long ignored by the states in which they live, say the benefits of foreign investment by international conglomerates outweigh the negative consequences.But even in the best of cases, the lions share of mining profits leave the country along with the companies running operations, and inflict a sharp environment cost. This week we spoke with Peter Wood, a gold mining researcher in Colombia, about the details of how it all works, new markets in Venezuela, and the criminal armed groups profiting from informal mining and gold laundering across the continent.As media is increasingly bought up by billionaires and huge corporations, and the world veers towards authoritarianism, please consider taking out a paid subscription to support independent media. PWS will never fear criticizing power.You can also donate a one-time gift via “Buy Me a Coffee”. It only takes a few moments, and you can do so here.And if you can’t do any of that, please do help us by sharing the piece! We don’t have billionaire PR teams either.Hasta pronto, piratas! Get full access to Pirate Wire Services at www.piratewireservices.com/subscribe