Caracas' Push for Illegal Mining Is Creating Problems for Its Neighbors

Venezuela's desperate attempts to offset the loss of revenue from its collapsing oil sector are creating headaches for its neighbors. During the past two years, the government has put in motion a survival strategy to replace its declining hydrocarbon income with proceeds from mining exports, often from illegal excavations operated by criminal and militant groups. But these illicit operations are spreading over the poorly patrolled borders into western Guyana and potentially into northern Brazil, meaning Caracas' game plan could soon come into direct conflict with the interests of those two countries....