On April 5, more than 600 members of the Bari, Yukpa, and Wayu indigenous peoples from the westernmost region of Venezuela gathered in the capital of Caracas to protest coal mining in the Sierra de Perij mountain range and the Guajira peninsula. The indigenous protesters were joined by environmentalists, civil society groups, political organizations, and non-governmental organizations who said the mines are negatively impacting the land and its inhabitants. Coal mines have polluted the rivers, displaced hundreds of indigenous people, prevented the cultivation of crops, and caused work-related illness among a number of its employees. The indigenous groups demanded that President Hugo Chavez demarcate their territory and respect Article 120 of the Venezuelan Constitution, which requires consultation with indigenous inhabitants prior to the exploitation of any natural resource.
