Venezuela: oil spill after a leak on an oil pipeline

An oil spill has hit the west coast of Venezuela following a leak on the pipeline carrying crude to the country's main refinery, the state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said on Saturday.

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The firm said it had carried out “

” work in this area near Miranda, in Falcon State (north-west), after having repaired the leak.

The supply of crude to the Paraguaná refining center (north-west), with a capacity of 950,000 barrels per day, is not affected, according to PDVSA.

The country, which is going through a deep economic crisis, is also experiencing a shortage of gasoline due to a lack of operational refineries.

The opposition and environmental organizations denounced on Thursday the existence of an oil spill on the coasts of Falcon.

The Environment Committee of the Venezuelan Parliament, where the opposition is in the majority, affirms, on the basis of satellite images, that this oil spill covers an area of ​​"

".

Another oil spill in August affected four kilometers of beaches in Morrocoy National Park, a very touristy marine reserve, also located in Falcon State, according to the same sources.

The petroleum industry was the cornerstone of Venezuela's economic emergence just over a century ago and its main source of income.

But from 3.2 million barrels a day twelve years ago, its production fell to less than 400,000 barrels a day in July.

For the socialist government of Nicolas Maduro, the draconian sanctions imposed by the United States are responsible.

The Venezuelan opposition and analysts point to the corruption and carelessness of those responsible for the oil sector.