What we found was pretty astounding. The oil companies have already wiped out most of the rainforest west of the Andes Mountains, most of what's there now is just cities. Now they want to to the same to the east. Their effects can be seen instantly. This not only splits the forest, it paves the way for colonists.
Colonists are mostly poor people from the cities who want to make a better life for themselves.
They move in along these roads, first cutting down the forest on either side of the road, then they turn that land into farms. One of the oil companies' more disturbing practices is the way they attempt to keep the roads in good shape. They send trucks full of crude along the roads, and simply spread it over the tar to try and keep it moist. However, because of the intense h eat in that region, the oil quickly dries up, and as the, and as the cars drive over it, they kick up and very nasty dust. Since this practice began, reported numbers of emphysema, and lung cancer have increased dramatically.