,,iii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #cia  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #bh1        
#bjba,mr4 ,m55dez 7= himself1 ,mr4      
,rubio1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 & ,mr4 ,ka9e7       
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,relations  ,,resolution  ,express+     
conc]n ab\t ! rise 9 illicit m9+ &      
traffick+ ( gold 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica & !    
p]vasive problem t su* m9+ poses = !    
security1 /ability1 & environm5t ( !    
region4  ,:]eas dur+ ! #aj-ye> p]iod    
imm$iately prec$+ ! date ( enactm5t (   
?is ,resolution1 ,lat9 ,am]ica has      
witness$ an al>m+ increase 9 ! illicit  
m9+ & traffick+ ( gold & o!r valuable   
m9]als2 ,:]eas illicit gold m9+ is a    
significant *all5ge across ,lat9        
,am]ica1 specifically 9 ! ,&ean &       
,amazonian regions1 :]e1 accord+ to !   
int]nationally recogniz$ nongov]nm5tal  
organization ,global ,initiative aga9/  
,transnational ,organiz$ ,crime-- 7#a7  
,v5ezuela leads ! region ) approximately

 #ij p]c5t ( ! gold extract$ 9 t c\ntry 
be+ m9$ illicitly2  7#b7 ,colombia &    
,ecuador closely foll[ ) approximately  
#hj p]c5t ( ! gold extract$ 9 ^?        
c\ntries be+ m9$ illicitly2 &  7#c7     
ne>ly #cj p]c5t ( ! gold extract$ 9     
,bolivia & ,p]u is m9$ illicitly2 ,:]eas
 illicit gold m9+ involves ! extraction 
( gold 9 violation ( ! laws ( ! c\ntry 9
 :i* ! activity occurs & mo/ly takes    
place 9 remote geographic areas ) limit$
 gov]nm5t pres5ce1 leav+ opportunities =
 transnational crim9al organizations to 
exploit ?is practice to g5]ate billions 
( doll>s 9 illicit pr(its to bol/] _!   
/r5g? & long-t]m viability2 ,:]eas !    
pr(its d]iv$ f illicit gold m9+ h become
 a lead+ s\rce ( ! illicit f9ancial     
activities 9 ! region1 surpass+ ! pr(its
 g5]at$ by coca & coca9e production 9   
rec5t ye>s2 ,:]eas transnational crim9al
 organizations use illicit gold         
traffick+ z a me*anism to laund] pr(its 
f o!r illicit activities1 :i* frequ5tly 
?reat5s ! national security ( ! ,unit$  

,/ates & und]m9es legal int]national    
trade by compromis+ ! lawful gold supply
 *a9 & exploit+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates f9ancial
 sy/em = illegal ga92 ,:]eas ! pres5ce (
 transnational crim9al organizations 9  
m9+ & trad+ *a9s ( gold & o!r valuable  
m9]als pr(\ndly ?reat5s ! safety1       
security1 & cultural integrity (        
indig5\s communities across ,lat9       
,am]ica2 ,:]eas illicit gold m9+ (t5    
deva/ates ! environm5t & is de/ructive  
to rural & indig5\s communities s9ce x  
violates legal /&>ds & safety           
requirem5ts & (t5 involves ! illegal use
 ( m]cury1 a pot5t tox9 t1 :5 us$       
improp]ly1 contam9ates wat] supplies 9 !
 areas surr\nd+ illicit m9+ sites1 & c  
result 9 acute & long-t]m poison+ 9 p2  
,:]eas ! rec5t activities associat$ )   
illicit gold m9+ include cutt+ d[n      
ra9=e/s & creat+ pools ( /agnant wat]1  
:i* contribute to ! spread ( mosquitoes 
& insect-borne disease1 incit+ an       
epidemic ( mal>ia 9 ,v5ezuela at levels 
n se5 9 ! pa/ #ge ye>s2 ,:]eas 9 ,may   

#bjaf1 =m] ,presid5t ( ,p]u1 ,ollanta   
,humala1 decl>$ a #fj-;day em]g5cy 9 !  
,madre de ,dios region ne> ,p]u's       
s\!a/]n bord] ) ,brazil 9 an attempt to 
curb high levels ( m]cury poison+ (     
resid5ts due to ! impacts ( illicit gold
 m9+2 ,:]eas1 on ,febru>y #bd1 #bjaf1 ! 
au?orit>ian gov]nm5t ( ,nicols ,maduro 9
 ,v5ezuela enact$ a decree t ann\nc$ a  
new legal framework = op5 m9+ "u ! "n ( 
,or9oco ,m9+ ,arc z a means to div]sify 
! regime's ca% fl[1 an action done )\t !
 approval ( ! democratically elect$     
,national ,assembly1 z requir$ by       
,v5ezuela's ,con/itution2 ,:]eas !      
,or9oco ,m9+ ,arc decree c impact !     
m]cury cont5t 9 wat]s 9 s\!rn ,v5ezuela 
& deva/ate ! unique ecosy/ems ( !       
,amazon1 includ+ ,_w ,h]itage ,site     
,canaima ,national ,p>k1 :i* is !       
ance/ral l& ( ! ,pemn indig5\s p & :]e  
at lea/ #ei m9+ sites h be5 detect$2    
,:]eas corruption & ! weak rule ( law 9 
,v5ezuela has all[$ transnational       
crim9al organizations1 drug traffick+   

organizations1 insurg5t gr\ps1 & o!r    
arm$ gr\ps to control & f9ancially      
b5efit f illicit m9+ op]ations1 _m ( :i*
 h ex]t$ control ov] diff]5t p>ts ( !   
,or9oco ,m9+ ,arc region & beyond1 su* z
 ,yapacana ,national ,p>k & ! ,alto     
,or9oco-,casiqui>e ,biosph]e ,res]ve1   
home to indig5\s communities ( #ag e?nic
 gr\ps1 includ+ ! ,yanomami & ,ye'kuana 
tribes2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,c5t] =    
,/rategic & ,int]national ,/udies1 m ?an
 #ejj1jjj work]s are involv$ 9 m9+      
op]ations 9 ,v5ezuela1 ( :om-- 7#a7     
approximately #de p]c5t are und]age2 &  
7#b7 ! majority are f indig5\s          
communities :o 7 co]c$ into work+ ?r\gh 
?reats ( viol5ce2 ,:]eas ! ,organization
 = ,economic ,co-op]ation & ,developm5t1
 9 a ,septemb] #bjba report1 express$   
conc]n t ! fl[ ( all ! gold produc$ )9  
,v5ezuela1 :i* is e/imat$ to total z mu*
 z #ge tons p] ye>1 ) a m>ket value ( m 
?an #d1djj1jjj1jjj1 has a high risk (   
contribut+ to s]i\s human rights abuses1
 direct or indirect support = non-/ate  

arm$ gr\ps1 corruption1 money laund]+1 &
 tax evasion2 ,:]eas ,executive ,ord]   
#achej1 :i* 0 issu$ on ,novemb] #a1     
#bjah1 sanction$ individuals involv$ 9  
illicit gold op]ations t propp$ up !    
illegitimate regime ( ,nicols ,maduro2  
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates sign$ ,memor&ums 
( ,und]/&+ ) ! gov]nm5ts ( ,p]u &       
,colombia 9 #bjag & #bjah1 respectively1
 9 an ef=t to combat illicit m9+ &      
m9imize its negative impacts3 ,n[1      
!re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 expresses
 deep conc]n ab\t ! ?reat t illicit gold
 m9+ 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica poses = ! security1
 /ability1 & environm5t ( ! region2     
7#b7 recognizes ! ?reat t illicit gold  
m9+ 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica poses = ! national  
security ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2  7#c7       
supports ! rights ( ! rural & indig5\s  
populations t h be5 deeply affect$ by   
illicit gold m9+ practices 9 ! region2  
7#d7 supports ! ef=ts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
,gov]nm5t to exp& bilat]al coop]ation ) 
! gov]nm5ts ( ,colombia1 ,ecuador1 &    
,p]u to combat illicit gold m9+2  7#e7  

condemns ! ,maduro regime = directly &  
indirectly facilitat+ illicit m9+ ( gold
 & o!r m9]als 9 ,v5ezuela2  7#f7 d5\nces
 ! ,maduro regime's involvem5t 9 illicit
 m9+ practices 9 ! ,amazonas & ,bolv>   
/ates1 :i* h l$ to human rights abuses1 
de/ruction ( indig5\s social fabric1    
de=e/ation1 habitat loss1 environm5tal  
degradation1 & a rise 9 cases ( mal>ia &
 o!r relat$ diseases 9 ,v5ezuela2  7#g7 
calls = bett] regional & int]national   
coord9ation among gov]nm5t & indu/ry    
actors to monitor & mitigate !          
environm5tal1 human rights1 & security  
risks pos$ by gold fl[s out ( ,v5ezuela2
 &  7#h7 enc\rages ef=ts to promote     
legal1 regulat$1 & su/a9able m9+        
practices 9 ,bolivia1 ,colombia1        
,ecuador1 ,p]u1 & ,v5ezuela aft]        
democratic ord] is re/or$4