There are reports that children as young as 9 years old work in the gold mines of Venezuela. Most of the gold mining in this sector takes place in a region in the south of the country known as the Orinoco Mining Arc. Due to their low weight and small build, children are often utilized in the extraction of the mineral from a network of small, unsupported caves. Children are also tasked with lowering people into the mines, and operating machinery such as electric hammers and gas extractors. These children work long hours, ranging from 10 to 15 hours a day, in dangerous conditions. Children working in this sector do so without access to toilets, safety equipment, first aid, ventilation, or adequate hydration. They run the risk of mining accidents, contracting malaria or mercury poisoning, or being victims of gang violence. Many mines in the region are run by gangs called sindicatos, and increasingly by armed groups such as FARC and ELN. These groups levy taxes and exercise strict control over these mining communities, often under threat of violence. Reports indicate that sometimes children are victims of shootouts between gangs, armed groups, and government forces vying for control of certain mining operations.

There are reports that adults are forced to work in the mining of gold in Venezuela. Research indicates that forced labor occurs throughout the Orinoco Mining Arc, a swath of land in Venezuela’s southern Bolivar state, where the majority of Venezuela’s gold is concentrated. It is estimated that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 gold miners in Venezuela. Mines are largely run by armed and violent criminal groups, and research shows evidence that officials from the Government of Venezuela, including members of security forces and local authorities, have colluded with and allowed members of non-state armed groups to commit human rights violations and labor abuses. Miners experience unsafe working conditions, unsafe and degrading living conditions, extortion and financial penalties, limited freedom of communication, and threats of violence and torture.