Life does not always follow the script we imagine for ourselves. Growing up in Humboldt Park, Chicago, I faced challenges that made me question my worth and the direction of my future. Surrounded by gang violence, family struggles with addiction, and personal trauma, I learned early that life can be unforgiving. In the midst of this instability, I stepped into a role I never expected. I became a protector for my family, holding my younger sisters together when our parents could not. I cooked, cleaned, and worked to create a sense of safety at home while navigating my own emotional turmoil.

As I moved through adolescence, I often placed my sisters’ well-being above my own. While I was focused on keeping them safe and supported, I neglected my own emotional needs. Over time, this began to take a toll on my mental health. I struggled with severe anxiety and depression, and found myself seeking validation in relationships that ultimately drained me rather than supported me. I reached a point where I had to decide whether to remain stuck in cycles of self-doubt or confront my struggles and work toward healing.

A turning point in my life came when I joined Combining Cultures in high school. It pushed me far outside my comfort zone. I was not naturally athletic, and performing in front of others made me anxious. However, the experience taught me the importance of teamwork, discipline, and self-trust. More than learning choreography, I learned how to rely on others, and for the first time in a long time, how to rely on myself. I began to feel a sense of belonging that I had been missing. This experience helped me rebuild my confidence and confront the insecurities I had carried for years.

From that point forward, I began prioritizing my well-being. I learned healthier ways to manage my anxiety and depression and started focusing on personal growth. During this process, I discovered a strong interest in human behavior and the systems that shape it. This led me toward fields such as criminology, sociology, and psychology. I became fascinated by how societal environments influence behavior and how understanding those patterns can help break cycles of trauma. My desire to protect others, especially my sisters, became the foundation for my academic goals.

Looking back, the responsibility of raising my sisters while managing my own struggles shaped my resilience and empathy. It taught me perseverance, compassion, and self-awareness. I learned that adversity does not define who we are; it shapes who we become.

Today, I want to use my experiences to help others who are navigating similar challenges. By studying criminology, sociology, and psychology, I hope to gain the tools to better understand the root causes of behavior and contribute to solutions that support healing and growth in communities like mine. My goal is to transform my lived experiences into a source of strength that can positively impact others.

My journey has shown me that even in the most difficult circumstances, growth is possible. I am committed to continuing that growth through education, service, and personal development. With resilience and purpose, I hope to create a future that not only uplifts my own life but also helps others find their way forward.

The night of the summer solstice, June 20, the beaches of Tahiti and Bora Bora glowed under a sun that refused to set. The sky stretched endlessly in gold and soft pink, and the ocean shimmered like it was holding its breath.

Arnel, Alexander, Flora, and Serena had come for a perfect night. No school, no pressure, just the four of them and a memory they could keep forever.

Arnel was loud, always trying to make things funny. Alexander noticed everything but said little. Flora was the curious one, always drawn to things she shouldn’t touch. Serena was the grounded one, the voice of caution when things felt off.

And tonight… something did.

They walked farther down the beach, away from the crowds and music. The air grew heavier the deeper they went, like the island itself was shifting around them.

That’s when Flora stopped.

Half-buried in the sand was a box.

Small, wooden, and weathered, but wrong in a way none of them could explain. Strange carvings wrapped around it, symbols that looked less like decoration and more like warnings.

“Okay… that’s not normal,” Serena said quietly.

Arnel crouched. “It’s probably just some tourist art.”

Alexander didn’t move closer. “Or it’s here for a reason.”

Flora had already brushed the sand away. “There’s only one way to find out.”

The moment she touched it, the box gave a low hum, so deep they almost convinced themselves it wasn’t real.

Then it opened.

Inside was no treasure.

Only water.

Dark, endless water that moved like the ocean itself had been trapped inside something too small to contain it. It swirled slowly, reflecting nothing but darkness.

And then it whispered.

Voices layered beneath sound itself, like something ancient trying to speak through waves.

The lid slammed shut.

Silence followed too quickly.

Alexander stepped back. “We should put it back.”

But Serena was already looking at the shore.

The ocean had moved closer.

Arnel laughed nervously. “Okay, no. That’s not possible.”

But it was.

The tide was rising too fast, too silently. The sand beneath them softened, sinking slightly with every step. The carvings on the box began to glow faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Flora stepped back. “We need to leave. Now.”

But the shoreline behind them was gone.

The beach was changing, folding in on itself like something waking up.

Alexander’s voice dropped. “We didn’t find that box.”

He looked at them.

“It found us.”

The ocean rose without sound, one perfect, impossible wall of water.

And the world disappeared.

When they opened their eyes, there was no beach.

No ocean.

No sky.

They stood in a massive stone maze.

The walls towered impossibly high, carved from blackened stone older than anything human. It wasn’t just rock, it was myth made solid. Reliefs covered every surface: gods with hollow eyes, serpents swallowing worlds, winged figures falling forever through fire and sea.

Between the carvings were shifting runes, changing every time they tried to focus on them, as if the language itself refused to stay still.

Above them was not a sky, but a fractured void of dim gold and shadow, like reality itself had been cracked open and poorly sealed.

The air felt ancient. Heavy. Like the maze remembered every soul that had ever entered it.

Flora stepped back. “Where are we?”

Serena’s voice shook. “This isn’t Earth.”

Arnel looked around. “Okay. I want to go back to the beach now.”

Alexander noticed something on the ground.

The box had followed them.

Open, but empty.

“No,” he said quietly. “We didn’t get taken somewhere.”

A deep sound rolled through the maze.

Not an echo.

A presence breathing through stone.

“We got brought here.”

The walls began to change as they looked closer. The carvings weren’t static; they were alive with stories.

Wrath carved as burning soldiers.
Greed is endless reaching hands.
Envy devouring its own reflection.
Pride falling from shattered thrones.

And deeper still, something watching between the carvings, older than the sins themselves.

Then the whispers returned.

Seven voices.

Seven sins.

Wrath.
Greed.
Envy.
Pride.
Gluttony.
Lust.
Sloth.

The maze trembled as if responding to their names.

A shadow moved between the pillars ahead, too tall, too broken, as if stitched together from forgotten myths.

Arnel backed up. “Nope. I’m done.”

But there was no exit.

No ocean.

No world they recognized.

Only endless corridors of ancient stone and living myth.

Flora swallowed hard. “If this is a maze… There has to be a way out.”

Alexander nodded slowly. “Or a reason we’re here.”

Serena whispered, “What reason?”

A distant roar answered from deep within the labyrinth.

And the maze, ancient, alive, and aware, seemed to decide one thing:

They had already been chosen.

And the story had only just begun.

Earth is my permanent home. After rescuing Paige from her father and the strange appearance of my cousin Blaine’s dog, Cosmo, I had gotten my hopes up. It turns out that Blaine had sent Cosmo out to another planet, just as mother had done to Motor and I. Cosmo herself carried this message in her collar, and it completely crushed me, to say the least. Perhaps I should not have been so harsh towards Paige and Motor after, maybe then I would not have left. Now, as I flew through the sky, I wished I had not. Stopping in front of a skyscraper, I admired my reflection. On the outside I looked like a hero. A cape, a mask…but on the inside, I was a jerk. Yet people still looked up to me. If only they all knew, then they would see I did not deserve to live among them. Grief might have something to do with it. Mother had told me when I was younger that when you lose people you love, it makes you angry. 

“But that does not give me reason to yell at the ones that are still here,” I said aloud. “I have to make it up to them.” 

I took off, and heard a strange whistling noise coming from below me. I glanced down and saw it: a missile. It looked small, and it probably would not harm me if it struck, but I tried to escape it anyway. I glanced behind me every now and then, and out of my peripheral vision, I could see that it stopped. I also stopped and hovered mid air. 

“What?” I asked, confused. “Why are you just hovering there?”

To my surprise, the missile spoke back. “So I could do this!” 

A large dart shot out of the top missile compartment and struck me in the front left shoulder. I found it difficult to use my powers, and could feel myself losing altitude, before I landed on top of the same skyscraper I had admired myself in front of. 

“Buck Sentry,” the missile said. I recognized the voice. It was Dr. Surgeon. “Did you really think you could outsmart me?”

“What ... .did you….do?” I asked weakly, struggling to get to my feet. 

“Do you like my new virus?” Dr. Surgeon asked. “Last time you were at my hideout, I was able to obtain a DNA sample. I designed it to impact you specifically, seeing as you are immune to nearly every virus in existence on Earth.”

“Why?” I asked. 

“Because you do not belong with the humans, Buck. You do not fit in, and you do not deserve to live.”

Dr. Surgeon was right. I do not belong with humans. It was a mistake for my mother to send me here. 

“Hey!” I heard from somewhere above. “Cosmo, fetch!”

Suddenly Cosmo came flying down from the clouds and knocked the missile out of the sky. 

“Buck!” Motor exclaimed as he landed on the roof next to me and let Paige out. “What happened?” 

“Dr. Surgeon shot me with this dart,” I said, yanking the large dart out of my shoulder. “It gave me some kind of a virus.” 

“Hold still,” Motor said as he scanned me. “Definitly a virus. From…oh no…”

“What?” Paige asked. “What’s ‘oh no’?”

“Buck has a virus that hasn’t been seen in a Nendonian in over four hundred years,” Motor said. “It’s lethal, I’m afraid.”

“If I am going down,” I said, using Motor’s hood to stand, “I am going down with Dr. Surgeon.” 

“Buck-” Paige said, grabbing my arm. 

“Let me go,” I said. “I have to make it up to you.” 

“Ok…” Paige said. “But just know, neither of us are upset with you for getting mad at us.” 

“I know,” I said. “I am sorry anyway.” 

I took off again, struggling to keep altitude, but finally arrived at Dr. Surgeon’s lair. 

“Buck,” he greeted warmly. “I see you’ve decided to join me.” 

“I am here to prove a point,” I said, pinning Dr. Surgeon up against the wall. “That I do belong here.”

“Pfft yeah right,” Dr. Surgeon said. “You’re not even close to a human.”

“I am more human than you will ever be,” I said. “And I will prove it by not harming you.”

“What?” Dr. Surgeon asked as I released my hold. “I would kill you the first chance I got! Take your window, Buck!”

“I do not harm others,” I said. “I was at war with Duke for a long time, but he was like a brother to me. And what did our fighting get us? Our planet was destroyed. I have already notified the police, they will take care of you.” 

“Big mistake,” Dr. Surgeon said, shooting me with another dart. “You should’ve taken that window.” 

The police sirens grew closer. I grunted and took off. 

You should have taken the window, Bucky.

“Shut up,” I told myself. “He is being taken into custody. No more terrorizing others.” 

I suddenly felt very weak, and I fell out of the sky directly through the roof of the warehouse where Motor and Paige were already waiting for my return. 

“Buck!” Paige yelled, picking me up. 

“Hurry,” Motor said, “lay him down on the bed.”

Paige placed me gently on the bed that Cosmo and I shared while living on this planet. Cosmo curled up on my chest, whimpering. I gently petted her, and Motor sighed. 

“That bad?” I asked, my voice hoarse. 

“Yes, unfortunately,” Motor said sadly. “The last Nendonian….”

I could already feel myself slipping away. 

“You were the best caretaker I could have asked for,” I said. “I am proud to have fought alongside you. And Paige, thank you for taking me in when no one else would.” 

“You’re welcome, Bucky,” Paige said. “Good bye.” 

“Good…”

Darkness. 

Paige

I don’t know how long I cried, but it must’ve been a long time because Cosmo and Motor were both asleep and it was dark outside. 

“Buck,” I whispered. “Please wake up, please!” 

I lay my head down on his chest, hoping to hear something. A breath, a heartbeat, I don’t know. 

“Bucky…”

Then there it was. The heartbeat. 

“Paige?” Buck asked. 

“Buck!” I exclaimed. “Motor, Cosmo, he’s back!” 

“What?” Motor asked as he was startled out of his sleep. “That’s impossible!”

“Paige healed me,” Buck said. “I understand now.”

“What?” I asked. “What do you understand?”

“Greif,” Buck said. “It has some form of healing power to it.” 

“It does!” Paige exclaimed. “It really does!”

“And I am not upset about Nendone any longer,” Buck said as Cosmo wagged her tail. “Want to know why?”

“Why?” Motor asked. 

“Because I am home,” I said. “I belong here.” 

“Buck.” I hear a voice say. I groan. 

“Buuuuuccccckkkkyyyyy.” The voice says again, louder this time. Finally I connect the voice to Motor. 

I groaned again and finally opened my eyes, to find Motor was above me and the infant was nowhere near. 

Oh no. “No! Nononononono!” I panicked, searching for it.

“Buck it’s fine,” Motor said. “The infant. If that’s what you’re looking for, the mother took it.”

“Without waiting for me to regain consciousness?” I asked. “Why?”

“I dunno,” Motor said. “No thanks or anything.”

“At least it’s safe,” I said, standing up and dusting myself off. 

“Wish we could say the same for Paige,” Motor said, making a gesture I’ve never seen him make before. “The robot thingy took her. I followed it for a while, but then I came back for you.”

I sighed. “Did you see where it went?”

“I followed it all the way to that abandoned warehouse just outside the city.”

“Warehouse?” I asked. “We must go. Now.” 

Paige (2)

“Hello, Paige,” a raspy voice said above me. “It’s been a long time.” 

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to get out of the restraints holding me to…the table?

“Seriously?” The voice asked as a face appeared in front of me. It was burned, likely from whatever kind of chemicals this psychopath was working with, and one eye was missing. I made a disgusted face as I realized who it was. “Aren’t you going to say hello to dear old Daddy?”

“You’re not my father!” I spat, basically vibrating with fury. 

“Oh, don’t say that,” My father said, cupping my face with his hands. “You are my beautiful baby girl.” 

“Leave me alone!” I yelled. 

“I will,” My father said. “That is, the intended Star Boy shows up. You see, Paige, all I truly want in life is a live alien specimen. One as fascinating as Buck Sentry.” 

My stomach lurched. “How do you know his name?” 

“It’s pretty obvious. Honestly, does he seriously think that little mask really hides his identity?”

To demonstrate his point, he gestured to the wall where a picture of Buck from the news in his superhero uniform was. He flipped it up and then there was his yearbook picture. When did he get that taken? Ugh never mind, not important right now.

“Now,” My father said, grabbing my broken arm and twisting it painfully backwards until I screamed. “When Buck shows up he’ll have a reason to surrender. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to see his girlfriend in any pain.” 

Buck (3)

I was flying so fast that the wind was whipping through my hair and making it fall into my eyes, so I had to keep brushing it back to see. Suddenly, something big, round, and fluffy flew directly into me with a collision so hard it nearly knocked me out of the sky. 

“What the-!” I was about to curse when the fluffy thing barked. 

“Cosmo!” Motor exclaimed. “How did she get here? Nendone is destroyed, that must mean that she was too.” 

“Who cares!” I exclaimed, petting Cosmo as she flew alongside us as well. “I’m glad to see her. We can use her to our advantage.” 

“What’s she gonna do?” Motor asked. “Lick ‘em to death?”

“We’re almost there, come on!” 

Paige (4)

I shivered once, then fought off the chill. Damn. This room was chilly. 

“Bucky,” I whispered. “Please don’t come. He’s gonna hurt you.” 

“Hello, Sweetheart,” a voice as smooth as honey said. “Your daddy told me to check on you. Do you want something to eat? A drink?”

The person who owned the voice came into view. She was dark skinned with red lipstick and dark black hair. 

“I could use some water,” I rasped, not being able to tell if this was a trick or for real. 

“Sure,” The lady said, holding a cup of water up to my lips for me to drink. “Sip.” 

I took a few sips of the icy water. It was a cool reprieve for my tongue and throat. 

“You have better bedside manner than my father,” I said. 

The lady laughed. “He just wants results. Honestly, I do too, but I think that experiments…or hostages in your case…should still get food and water. Want some more?”

“No,” I said. “What are you guys gonna do to Buck if you get him?”

“When,” the lady corrected. “We get Buck Sentry, we will probably dissect him, sell him to the government, I’m not sure.”

“Oh,” I said. “What about me?” 

“Well,” the lady said. “You were in contact with the alien. Your father will probably want you for experiments.” 

“And what if Buck rescues me and we both escape?” 

“Don’t be silly,” The nurse chided. “Buck will never come for you.” 

“Yes he will!” I screamed. “Buck would never abandon me!”

“Don’t be so sure,” the lady said. “Oh, and by the way ... .I am Nurse Needle.” 

Buck (5)

“Motor, get ready for casualties,” I said. “Paige might be injured, or worse.” 

“On it,” Motor said, landing on the street. 

“Come on, Cosmo,” I said. “We’re going to save Paige.” 

Cosmo and I broke down the door to the abandoned building, and Cosmo immediately started sniffing until she nudged open a door where Paige was located, tied to a table, arm bent at an impossible angle. 

“Paige,” I whispered. “Let’s get you out of here.” 

“Bucky!” Paige exclaimed. “What are you doing here? You have to get out, they’re gonna-”

“They won’t do anything,” I cut in. “I’m not going to let them. Now come on.” 

I picked Paige up bridal style and snuck her out of the building without being noticed, which was weird if this was a villain hideout. 

I laid Paige down on her back in front of Motor. 

“Luckily,” Motor said, scanning Paige. “Only her arm is broken. No other major injuries or illness seem to exist.” 

“Great,” Paige said. “Buck, we need to talk. My father said he wants to dissect you!” 

“Your…father?” I asked. “Hmm. This explains-”

“I was so scared!” Paige yelped suddenly, throwing herself at me in a very, very tight hug. “But then you rescued me! You’re my hero, Buck Sentry!” 

“But what about your father?” I asked. “Do you know what this means?”

“What does it mean?” Paige asked, raising an eyebrow. “Buck?”

“It means he’s one dumb villain. But that escape seemed too easy. Like he wanted us to get out with no trouble.” 

“Well the point is we are out,” Paige said. “Now c’mon. Let’s go home.” 

The Pemón people, an Indigenous community of Venezuela, are being driven from their land as corrupt officials and criminal organizations pursue profit through illegal mining. 90% of Indigenous women in the Orinoco Mining Arc—the region where the majority of the Pemón land is in Venezuela—had dangerous levels of Mercury in their systems due to the illegal mining taking place (Surma). Venezuela has long struggled with political instability, but in recent decades, the country has deteriorated significantly. Because of a corrupt government, a broken economy, and illicit activities running rampant, the environment and citizens of Venezuela are suffering. Indigenous communities and their land are particularly affected. Decades of corruption and economic mismanagement have created an environmental and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela; however, rebuilding efforts that prioritize resource extraction or geopolitical interests over institutional reform, indigenous rights, and environmental protection risk worsening the country's instability rather than resolving it. 

Venezuela has struggled with political instability and economic mismanagement for decades, creating the conditions for the crisis that exists today. Much of the country’s modern political structure is shaped by “Chavism,” a left-wing populist ideology established by former president Hugo Chávez (“Former”). Chávez’s government expanded state control over the economy and increased Venezuela’s dependence on oil exports, which left the country vulnerable to economic collapse when global oil prices fell (Krygier). Nicolás Maduro, the socialist president who succeeded Chávez after he died in 2013, continued these policies. But under his leadership, Venezuela’s political and economic crisis deepened. Citizens are losing faith in Chavism's ideas as well, as inflation makes the Venezuelan dollar, the bolívar, practically useless. Citizens struggle to buy groceries, and over time, they have begun to use U.S. dollars instead (“As”). An article documenting the struggle of these citizens by The New York Times states that, “Many Venezuelans long ago lost faith in their government's ability to improve their lives,”  highlighting the citizen’s fears and hopelessness as the situation becomes more chaotic (“As”). And even though Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has taken his place after the Trump administration's kidnapping of Maduro, she shares the same ideologies as him, and throughout the whole government, Chavism and corruption remain (“Former”). This political instability has driven the Venezuelan government to form alliances with criminal organizations in hopes of finding an alternative source of revenue: illegal gold mining. 

Venezuela’s economic collapse and political corruption have pushed the Maduro regime to rely on illegal mining as a major source of revenue. As the government struggles to maintain power and generate income, reports suggest that officials have become directly involved in managing and profiting from illicit mining operations. Venezuela once attempted to block the United Nations (UN) from conducting a fact-finding mission. However, it was still able to publish a report on human rights violations within the country. On field visits, documentary evidence, interviews, and other sources contributed to documenting 2,000 alleged victims of human rights violations between 2014 and 2022. There were also 800 possible violent deaths, and about one-quarter were allegedly carried out by government agents (Surma). While these numbers are described as “alleged,” the scale of the documented abuses indicates that human rights violations are widespread and systemic rather than isolated incidents. The Venezuelan government’s attempt to block investigators further suggests that authorities are aware of these abuses but unwilling to allow international scrutiny. Nicmer Evans, a prominent former Chavista politician, claimed the government was “trafficking in minerals to stockpile funds without having to use formal accounts” (“Deadly”). This claim suggests that illegal mining may serve as a financial lifeline for government officials attempting to bypass sanctions and economic collapse. By trafficking minerals outside formal economic accounts, officials can generate revenue while avoiding international scrutiny. This dynamic further demonstrates how corruption and economic desperation have pushed the Venezuelan government to tolerate, or even encourage, illegal mining operations despite the severe environmental and humanitarian consequences. 

As illegal gold mining expanded across the Amazon region, many criminal organizations shifted their focus away from cocaine trafficking toward gold extraction because it offers higher profits and lower legal risk. During the COVID-19 pandemic, strict lockdowns placed significant pressure on law enforcement, making it difficult to allocate resources for oversight in remote regions where illegal mining occurs (“Why”). The government’s corruption and dependence on illegal mining were also a hindrance. This allowed criminals to invest in the illegal mining business, which they turned to because the gold market became more profitable and easier to manage. “Cocaine is illegal from cultivation to its sale on the streets. Much of Peru’s gold is illicitly mined, but when refined is indistinguishable from legitimate metal, its origin untraceable” (“Why”). Since illegally mined gold is indistinguishable from regular gold, this allows criminal organizations to generate profits with lower risk than traditional narcotics trafficking, making it a more attractive revenue source. In a CNN article, they write that “Gangs use the same smuggling routes, logistics, precursor supplies like diesel, and use their territorial control to exploit whatever resources are available: gold, coca, timber” (“Why”). As a result, illegal mining has become a powerful economic engine for both criminal networks and corrupt officials, accelerating environmental destruction and placing Indigenous communities directly in the path of these operations. 

Indigenous communities across the Amazon region have become some of the primary victims of illegal gold mining, facing displacement, violence, and severe health consequences. Much of Venezuela’s illegal mining takes place in the Orinoco Mining Arc, a region that overlaps with the traditional territories of several Indigenous groups. The Pemón people, for example, have been “forced to flee to neighboring countries. Those who remain and oppose illegal mining risk being killed. Others who stay are forced to engage in illicit activities directly or indirectly, such as selling gasoline or mining tools” (Surma). This pattern highlights how Indigenous communities are often excluded from political decision-making, even when their land and livelihoods are directly affected by mining activities. In 2022, a Uwottuja tribe leader, Virgilio Trujillo Arana, was shot in the head three times in the city of Puerto Ayacucho, the largest city in Amazonas State in Venezuela (“Venezuela”). The Uwottuja tribe was devastated after his death and feared for their own lives. Tribe members did not attend the funeral, for they feared they’d be attacked by the criminal organizations that invade their land. This climate of fear discourages Indigenous communities from speaking out against mining operations, allowing illegal activities to continue with little resistance or accountability. In Brazil, the Yanomami tribe suffers in similar ways. Their land straddles the border with Venezuela, with some of the tribe living on either side. The current president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, accused his predecessor of “genocide” against this tribe. 16 Yanomami Indians had to be airlifted to emergency treatment as a result of water contamination from illegal logging and mining (“This”). He accused the previous government of neglect and abandonment, and stated that 20,000 illegal miners had invaded the land and brought environmental destruction with them (“This”). Though Lula uses strong language, his viewpoint shows that illegal mining is a regional issue, not just a problem confined to one country. Water pollution is especially troubling, as these rivers cross borders, drain into other bodies of water, and contaminate the soil and groundwater around them as well. The effects of illegal mining are widespread across the land and different

indigenous communities, which spotlights the gravity of the situation the Amazon region faces. 

Illegal gold mining contributes to environmental destruction with mercury poisoning, destruction of riverbeds, and deforestation. To extract gold, high-pressure pumps and heavy machinery blast and excavate riverbeds. The material is then mixed with toxic mercury to extract gold. The mercury is discharged into the atmosphere, forests, and rivers, fouling entire ecosystems. Mercury is linked to neurological and other health issues, including death (Surma). Because many Indigenous communities rely on local rivers for food and drinking water, mercury contamination directly threatens their long-term health and survival. The entire ecosystem becomes contaminated, and consequently, communities are exposed as well, as their drinking water, food, and land are poisoned. Protected areas, where illegal mining is supposed to be prohibited, have not been spared either (Surma). If the government isn’t enforcing existing laws and depends on illegal mining itself, it is unlikely that it will implement new restrictions to combat environmental and humanitarian destruction. Cristina Vollmer de Burelli is a Venezuelan and the founder of SOS Orinoco, an advocacy group focused on protecting the Venezuelan Amazon rainforest. She states that, “The replacement of Maduro with Delcy Rodríguez is a bad omen for the environment in Venezuela. We fear that the current ecocide will continue and worsen under a new Regime” (Surma). These warnings suggest that Venezuela’s environmental crisis is not likely to improve under the current political leadership. As international interventions become increasingly involved in shaping Venezuela’s political and economic future, questions remain about whether outside intervention will meaningfully address these environmental harms or simply intensify the country’s focus on resource extraction.

One of the most significant recent interventions occurred on January 3, 2026, when the Trump administration launched a military operation in Caracas, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. During the operation, missile strikes targeted areas of the capital while U.S. forces raided Maduro’s compound and transported him and his wife to the United States to face criminal charges (Surma). However, some observers argue that this dramatic political action did little to address the deeper issues affecting Venezuelan citizens. Lisa Henrito, a Pemón Indigenous leader, described the attack as “disconnected from the realities of indigenous peoples,” emphasizing that the capture of Maduro did nothing to address the ongoing violations of Indigenous land, rights, and livelihoods (Surma). Former U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon has similarly questioned the effectiveness of the intervention, noting in an interview with Morning Edition that the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela remain “unclear.” Shannon explained that although Maduro was removed from power, the broader Chavista political structure remains intact, meaning that the same political forces continue to dominate the government (“Former”). This suggests that the cooperation necessary to rebuild Venezuela’s economy may be difficult to achieve, as the political system responsible for much of the country’s instability remains largely unchanged. 

Supporters of the Trump administration’s approach argue that expanding oil production could help rebuild Venezuela’s collapsing economy. However, focusing primarily on oil extraction ignores the structural problems that contributed to the crisis in the first place, including corruption, environmental degradation, and weak political institutions. Venezuela’s oil is heavy and difficult to refine, global prices remain relatively low, and the country’s political instability discourages companies from investing in new extraction projects (Belsie). Additionally, prioritizing oil production may place further strain on both workers and the environment. Desirée Cormier Smith, a former U.S. State Department official, warned that an aggressive push for resource extraction could pressure companies to move quickly and potentially ignore Indigenous communities’ right to be consulted about projects that affect their land (Surma). These concerns are compounded by the deteriorating condition of Venezuela’s oil industry itself. An anonymous oil worker interviewed by The Washington Post described how hyperinflation and shortages have made spare parts nearly impossible to obtain for the state-owned oil company PDVSA, leading to frequent accidents and “inhumane” working conditions (Krygier).  Increasing production pressure on an already struggling system may therefore worsen both labor conditions and environmental risks. Without addressing Venezuela’s political corruption, environmental protections, and Indigenous rights, foreign efforts focused primarily on resource extraction risk reinforcing the same structural problems that contributed to the crisis in the first place.

Because illegal mining operates across national borders and threatens multiple Indigenous communities throughout the Amazon region, addressing the crisis will require cooperation between affected countries as well as international oversight. In situations where governments are involved in illicit activities or human rights violations, international bodies such as the United Nations Environmental Programme can play an important role in monitoring environmental damage and supporting restoration efforts. These organizations could assist with river cleanup initiatives, efforts to combat deforestation, and the enforcement of environmental protections. Although persuading Venezuela to accept international assistance may be difficult given its current political instability, such efforts are still worthwhile. Mercury contamination spreads through rivers that cross borders, harming ecosystems, wildlife, and communities far beyond the mines themselves. Coordinated enforcement between neighboring countries could also limit the movement of illegal mining equipment and prevent criminal organizations from simply relocating their operations to nearby territories. Through regional cooperation and international support, governments may reduce illegal mining and repair some of the environmental damage already inflicted on the Amazon.

Venezuela’s illegal gold mining crisis illustrates how corruption, economic collapse, and environmental destruction can become deeply interconnected. What began as an attempt to generate revenue in a struggling economy has evolved into a system that fuels violence, poisons ecosystems, and threatens Indigenous communities throughout the Amazon region. As Indigenous leader Lisa Henrito says, “when a government fails to protect its people, it fails as a government” (Surma). For communities such as the Pemón and Yanomami, the consequences are not abstract political debates but poisoned rivers, destroyed forests, and families forced to abandon their ancestral land. While international intervention and economic rebuilding efforts may offer opportunities for reform, solutions that focus solely on resource extraction risk reinforcing the very systems that created the crisis. Meaningful recovery will require addressing corruption, protecting Indigenous rights, and prioritizing environmental sustainability alongside economic development. Without these reforms, Venezuela’s crisis will continue to spread beyond its borders, threatening not only the Amazon rainforest but also the millions of people whose lives depend on its survival.

Works cited 

Belsie, Laurent. "Trump wants US companies to produce Venezuelan oil. But will they?" Christian Science Monitor, 8 Jan. 2026.

"Deadly battle for riches of Venezuela's El Dorado; 'Blood gold' has turned the Gran Sabana into a killing ground that could shape the troubled country's future." Daily Telegraph [London, England], 1 Apr. 2019, p. 14.

"Former diplomat talks about President Trump and the future of Venezuela." Morning Edition, 6 Jan. 2026.

Ionova, Ana, et al. "As Trump Plans Oil Fortunes, Venezuelans Are Struggling to Buy Food." New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026, p. A6.

Krygier, Rachelle, and Anthony Faiola. "The Venezuelan oil industry is on a cliff's edge. Trump could tip it over." Washingtonpost.com, 25 Feb. 2018. 

Surma, Katie, and Bob Berwyn. “Trump Wants to Accelerate Extraction in Venezuela. So Do Drug Trafficking Organizations.” Inside Climate News, 11 January 2026. Accessed 22 February 2026.

"'This is genocide': Brazil's Lula says predecessor Bolsonaro starved and poisoned indigenous tribe; Yanomami Indians needed emergency treatment for malnourishment and poisoning from water contamination from illegal logging and gold mining." Telegraph Online, 24 Jan. 2023.

"Venezuela Indigenous leader's killing terrifies defenders of Amazon lands; Virgilio Trujillo Arana, who led community defense from criminal groups and illegal mining, was gunned down in broad daylight." Guardian [London, England], 7 July 2022.

"Why illegal gold mining is overtaking cocaine as the drug of choice for traffickers in Latin America." CNN Wire, 22 Nov. 2025.