For almost two decades, the remote southern reaches of Venezuela have effectively slipped outside government control, becoming a stronghold for organized crime. A new investigation by the watchdog group SOSOrinoco lays out just how deep that influence runs, identifying at least 26 organized armed groups operating in 20 of the 21 municipalities across the states of Amazonas, Bolívar, and Delta Amacuro—an area that also includes the Essequibo region, the oil-rich territory Venezuela disputes with neighboring Guyana.
The report, based on a systematic review of public records from 2022 to 2026 along with on-the-ground interviews, argues that what’s happening in the area goes far beyond ordinary lawlessness. Researchers describe a form of “criminal governance,” in which Colombian guerrilla factions and homegrown criminal syndicates—sometimes called “mega-gangs”—have stepped into the vacuum left by the state. These groups reportedly dictate economic activity, settle disputes, and enforce their own rules in communities where official authority barely reaches.
The findings paint a troubling picture of a hybrid power structure that blends foreign armed groups with local criminal networks, raising serious questions about sovereignty, security, and daily life for residents in one of Venezuela’s most resource-rich but least governed regions.
For the full investigation and detailed findings, check out the original report from El Tiempo.
Image: phoneymanflickr, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).