Embajadores del Orinoco [emborinoco.org] is an independent volunteer-based, non-profit movement launched in 2021 by the Norwegian Venezuelan Justice Alliance and allied groups and individuals in Europe and the Americas.
Embajadores del Orinoco – Saving the Venezuelan Amazon rainforest
The movement was born as a response to the alarming silence of the international community and major environmental organizations regarding the widespread destruction of the Venezuelan Amazon.
This initiative unites civil society organizations and individuals working to expose the profound environmental and humanitarian crisis caused by illegal mining across the southern Venezuelan Amazon, which is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth and home to unique ecosystems, indigenous communities, and UNESCOlisted areas such as Canaima National Park.
Embajadores del Orinoco documents and denounces the rapid expansion of illegal mining enabled by the 2016 Arco Minero del Orinoco decree, which violates constitutional protections and multiple international commitments. The initiative seeks to elevate the protection of the Amazon and the rights of its indigenous peoples onto the global agenda.
Embajadores del Orinoco focuses its impact on international awareness, advocacy, and support for local actors confronting the destruction of the Venezuelan Amazon.
Raising international awareness
The movement actively informs global audiences about environmental destruction, human rights violations, and organized crime linked to illegal mining in the Venezuelan Amazon. The message has been amplified through international media coverage, including outlets such as Miami Herald, Biodiversity Magazine, El Nacional, Espaces Latinos, UTROP, and others. Embajadores del Orinoco publishes newsletters reaching over 2,000 stakeholders and maintain continuous communication campaigns to keep the issue visible.
Strategic advocacy & stakeholder engagement
Embajadores del Orinoco conducts sustained dialogue with institutions and international stakeholders to pressure the Venezuelan state to meet its national and international legal obligations on environmental protection and indigenous rights. It also:
- Participates in international conferences and Amazon-focused fora, raising awareness of Venezuela’s largely overlooked portion of the rainforest; and
- Organizes events such as the Orinoco Oslo Summit (2022), a milestone initiative supported by the Research Council of Norway. It is planned to recur every 5 years.
Grant monitoring & support for local organizations
This part of the work consists of tracking global funding opportunities for Venezuelan grassroots groups working on conservation, indigenous rights, environmental justice, and humanrights protection. Our volunteers assist local actors navigate eligibility criteria and provide guidance during proposal processes, strengthening access to international grant and financing.