Venezuela: some 20,000 barrels of oil could have spilled on the coasts of Falcón and Carabobo

(CNN Spanish) - An oil spill took place off the Venezuelan coast, a nation known for its beautiful beaches. The president of the Venezuelan Society of Ecology, Velisa Morón, indicated this Wednesday that - according to satellite images - it is estimated that on the coasts of the states of Carabobo and Falcón, a spill of about 20,000 was registered since August 1 barrels of oil. The situation has affected the keys of Morrocoy National Park, one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country, as well as neighboring areas. The expert explained that the spill coincided with the reproductive season of the coral species.

Morón highlighted that volunteers, fishermen, local authorities and environmental organizations have worked on the mechanical cleaning of the hydrocarbon, clearing approximately 10 kilometers of beach. However, it highlights that the fundamental thing in these cases is to make a diagnosis in order to determine the mapping of the scope of the spill, the collection of samples and diving in order to determine which ecosystems are impacted.

The Deputy Minister of Ecosocialism, Josué Lorca, reported that sanitation works are being carried out on 15.2 kilometers of coastline, which include seven keys and islets of the busy Morrocoy National Park. Lorca stressed that the most affected fell was Punta Brava, where the spill hit 2.7 kilometers of coastline, followed by the popular Cayo Sombrero, with 1.5 kilometers, and Playa Mero, with 943 meters. He did not address the causes of the spill.

Some hypotheses of environmental groups indicate that the spill was the result of a failure in a PDVSA ship, but others suggest that the problem occurred in the waste lagoon of the El Palito refinery.

The Venezuelan National Assembly with an opposition majority announced this Wednesday that it will require PDVSA and the Ministry of Ecosocialism to carry out a maintenance schedule for the areas of the El Palito refinery complex in order to establish responsibilities regarding the spill.

The president of the Permanent Commission on Environment and Natural Resources and Climate Change of Parliament, María Gabriela Hernández, pointed out that this is the third oil spill that occurs in the year and that to the best of our knowledge, no type of intervention has been carried out by the authorities. Hernández warned that, on the contrary, they have tried to hide the ecological accident without taking the necessary actions to counteract it.

CNN contacted the PDVSA press team to find out their version of the spill without having received a response so far.

For his part, Dayse Regardiz, an expert in environmental sanitation of the oil industry and a technician of the National Assembly's environmental commission, highlights that in these cases the corresponding containment must be carried out by placing barriers or vessels in order to limit and restrict the crude oil expansion.

Experts point out that the spill affects coastal populations such as Chichiriviche, Boca de Aroa and Tucacas, and puts numerous marine species in serious danger.

oil spill