Venezuela officially reaffirmed its willingness to defend and preserve the integrity of the Amazon basin. This commitment was expressed by the Chancellor of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Yván Gil, upon his arrival at the 5th Summit of Presidents of the States Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT), held in Bogotá, Colombia.
Chancellor Gil reaffirmed his country’s firm commitment to continue strengthening joint efforts to eradicate illegal mining. He emphasized that this mission is carried out in full defense of national sovereignty and with the primary objective of protecting this vital ecosystem for the planet.
Through his accounts on social media, the Venezuelan minister expressed his gratitude for the welcome from Colombian President Gustavo Petro and acting Chancellor Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy. He highlighted the «warm and cordial reception at the Casa de Nariño,» where authorities and representatives from the region gathered.
The central purpose of the summit, held on August 22, was to adopt a joint declaration that consolidates existing regional agreements. This document seeks to reflect the shared priorities of the member nations and guide concrete actions to address the multiple challenges facing the Amazon.
The challenges addressed by the summit include the environmental crisis, the region’s social problems, and the urgent climate crisis affecting the Amazon biome. The protection of this area is crucial to the global fight against climate change due to its role as a carbon sink and biodiversity reserve.
This meeting complies with paragraph 113 of the Declaration of Belém. In that agreement, the member countries expressed their gratitude for President Petro’s offer to convene and hold this ACTO summit in August 2025, thus strengthening the regional cooperation framework for the protection of the Amazon.