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Our Impact

Awareness and advocacy


One of our articles raising awareness in the Norwegian media
(Utrop – Author Zapata)

At Embajadores del Orinoco we believe that awareness is the first step towards meaningful change.

Through various channels and alliances, we work to shed light internationally on the environmental destruction, human rights violations, and international organized crime activities taking place in the Venezuelan Amazon Rainforest. In parallel, we advocate for change in institutional and international political behavior to protect the Venezuelan Amazon Rainforest and its inhabitants, with special focus on the indigenous communities directly affected by illegal mining.

Embajadores del Orinoco in the Media

Our voice in defense of the Venezuelan Amazon Rainforest and its inhabitants is being heard and we are proud to be contributing to a growing conversation. Below are some examples of media coverage featuring our work:

Other Awareness and Advocacy Channels

As part of our strategic outreach efforts, we engage in sustained stakeholder dialogue to exert pressure on the Venezuelan state to comply with its national and international environmental, human rights, and indigenous rights legal obligations.

We pursue meetings with key international stakeholders and participate in conferences and fora related to the Amazon where we shed light on the specific situation of Venezuela.

We have also organized, participated, and accepted speaking engagements in other events. Our own first milestone event in Oslo, Norway in 2022 – The Orinoco Oslo Summit – was sponsored by the Research Council of Norway. The event is meant to take place in Oslo every 4 or 5 years.

In addition, our recently launched Newsletters are reaching over 2000 contacts. Take a look at our
Newsletters and scroll through some of our past events.

Grant Monitoring and Support

Huötüja community in the Venezuelan Amazon

Our efforts in this area consist of tracking and identifying funding opportunities for projects relevant to local organizations working with conservation, human rights, and indigenous rights in the Venezuelan Amazon region.

Our goal is to help bridge the gap between local actors and global funding mechanisms.

This includes regular monitoring of donor platforms, foundations, and institutional calls for proposals focused on biodiversity, climate resilience, indigenous rights, and environmental justice. Once relevant opportunities are identified, we provide support with interpreting eligibility criteria and general guidance with the bid process.

Thanks to the dedicated outreach efforts of Embajadores del Orinoco in recent years, several indigenous communities in Venezuela have successfully secured funding for their projects through the generous support of the organization Cultural Survival.

This incredible opportunity is possible thanks to Cultural Survival’s unwavering commitment to empowering indigenous communities around the world, including Venezuela.

Below are examples of some of these projects under their “Keepers of the Earth Program”. Additionally, young Venezuelan indigenous leaders in the Amazon region have benefitted from another Cultural Survival initiative called “Indigenous Youth Fellowships”.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Cultural Survival for their invaluable collaboration and for making such a meaningful impact in the lives of those in Venezuela who need it the most.

🌱 Project Highlights

2024

  • San Antonio Community (Jivi) – Located in Atures, Amazonas, this community is addressing the consequences of mining-induced migration. Their revitalization efforts include acquiring agricultural tools, machinery for conuco processing, and installing water systems.

2023

  • Gavilán Community (Huötüja) – In the Cataniapo River basin, they are combating illegal mining through entrepreneurship. Bitter cassava cultivation offers sustainable income, supported by training and awareness workshops.
  • UPCIHURPA (Huötüja) – This union is leading a mass communication campaign on mining’s impact in Parhuaza, with workshops on Indigenous rights and environmental risks.
  • Caño Guama Community (Uwuottuja) – Focused on sustainable agriculture, this community promotes cocoa and native species cultivation, supported by training to improve food production.
  • ORPIZ (Wayuu) – The Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Zulia State is empowering youth through recycled-material handbag production, IT training, and cultural memory campaigns in Wayuunaiki.

Showcasing Conservation Projects and Protecting Biodiversity

Harpy Eagle conservation in Venezuela

Picture featured in Biodiversity Mag’s article about the conservation of the Harpy Eagle in Venezuela –
Read the article

As Co-Founding members of the International Conservation and Biodiversity Team (ICBT) and through our collaboration with Biodiversity Mag, Embajadores del Orinoco has published articles that highlight Venezuela’s remarkable conservation efforts and denounce the ongoing destruction of its biodiversity by the Venezuelan State.

Featured conservation efforts include the protection of:

  • Orinoco Crocodile
  • Andean Bear
  • Brown Spider Monkey (Mono Arana)
  • Harpy Eagle (Águila Arpía)
  • Tapir (Danta)
  • Jaguar

Other contributions include:

  • A special feature by our founder Sonia Zapata exposing human and indigenous rights violations caused by illegal mining in the Venezuelan Amazon.
  • Reportages and interviews highlighting the work of Somos Caura and Provita, including the Red Book of Fauna and Flora in Venezuela.
  • Two investigative pieces by award-winning outlet Armando Info on illegal wildlife trade promoted by the State in violation of CITES.

You can explore some of these articles here:

We also maintain a list of conservation projects with relevant contact details on our website: Explore Conservation Projects