The current administration has outlined its development plans in
a series of policy documents, which favor an increase in mineral
and oil production, as well as integrating the Guayana region
into the rest of the national economy. These policies reflect a
development model which has been contemplated in other Amazon
Basin countries and has led to widespread deforestation and
social conflict in parts of these countries. Most of the
administration’s development policies are outlined in the Ninth
National Development Plan (See Some Key Elements of the Ninth
National Development Plan). Among these policies, the government
has emphasized diversification of the country’s export base as a
priority, as this could help diminish Venezuela’s reliance on
oil as a primary income source. To this end, the government has
identified forestry and mining as activities which, if
substantially increased, could contribute significantly to the
nation’s development. The area under timber concessions has
doubled since 1990; only 1.7