The National Assembly (AN) approved on Thursday the Law Approving the Framework Agreement for the Establishment of the International Alliance for Big Cats, which aims to collectively address the common challenges for the protection and conservation of seven important species worldwide.
With this agreement will be safeguarded the socio-ecological future of tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas, jaguars, and cheetahs to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
The president of the Permanent Commission on Ecosocialism, Representative Oliver Rivas (MSV/Guayana Esequiba), explained that this instrument facilitates access to international financing, cutting-edge technology, and specialized preservation programs.
He also detailed that the initiative provides global protection for the jaguar, puma, tiger, ocelot, the onza (margay), and oncilla. Likewise, he highlighted that, at the national level, the law will focus on direct actions to protect native jaguar and puma populations.
Socio-ecological Protection:
The legal instrument strengthens the global response to critical threats such as poaching, illegal wildlife trade networks, and habitat loss.
In the legal text is formalized Venezuela’s accession to this multilateral mechanism, which will allow for the integration of local capabilities into global monitoring and intelligence networks.
The protection model promoted by the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) stands out for its proven effectiveness on the ground, combining advanced technology tools with the active participation of local communities as key guardians of the territory.
The International Big Cat Alliance’s origins can be traced back to July 2019, during the commemoration of International Tiger Day, when the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, made a public call to establish a coalition of world leaders to eradicate the demand for products derived from wildlife.
Subsequently, on April 9, 2023, within the framework of the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger in Mysuru, was made official the launching of the IBCA.
Currently, the organization comprises 27 member states and five observer states from Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Venezuela’s incorporation was consolidated after the work visit to the Republic of India in June 2026 by the President of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, where she formally expressed the nation’s willingness to join this environmental initiative.
Species in Venezuela:
Venezuela occupies a strategic position within the treaty as it is home to two of the seven feline species protected by the international agreement: the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the puma (Puma concolor).
Both felines play the role of apex predators in national ecosystems, guaranteeing the so-called «umbrella effect,» whose conservation ensures the protection of millions of hectares of forests and essential water sources.
This legal initiative strengthens national conservation efforts without interfering with previously undertaken commitments.
On the contrary, it complements the protection of Venezuelan territory, of which more than 60% is under environmental protection designations such as National Parks, Natural Monuments, Biosphere Reserves, and Areas Under Special Administration Regime (ABRAE).
Structure and Investment:
The international treaty establishes the IBCA as an intergovernmental organization with its own legal personality and permanent headquarters in the Republic of India.
Its main bodies will be the Assembly of States Parties and a Secretariat headed by a Director General.
Operating expenses and transversal programs will be financed through voluntary contributions from member states, contributions from the United Nations (UN), corporate social responsibility initiatives from the public and private sectors, and income derived from activities authorized by the Assembly.
This membership will grant Venezuela preferential access to global funds earmarked for the execution of scientific research projects, financing of tracking technologies, and the adoption of plans validated by international experts.
With the approval of this regulatory framework, Venezuela reaffirms its alignment with other environmental agreements signed by the State, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), and the resolutions of the Amazonian Parliament.
The Legislative Branch reaffirms the orientation of Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, based on multilateralism, respect for international law, and active leadership in the protection of global biodiversity in the face of the climate crisis.