Alleged signals from peoples in voluntary isolation are found in the Yasuni

Enrique Vela, Coordinator of the Plan of precautionary measures of the Ministry of Justice, said yesterday before the Justice Committee that there is a “possible” signal that there are people who live in voluntary isolation at the southern limit of block 31.

“It is not a farm, it is not a house, is a possible sign of their presence which has not been verified yet,” said Vela before the meeting where also had the presence of the Minister of Justice, Lenin Lara, and the Undersecretary of Human Rights Wilson Mayorga.

Vela said that regarding blocks 43 and 31,  they haven’t found a single signal of their presence.

Moreover, Mayorga emphasized that these peoples are nomadic, therefore, it is normal that the location has changed between this year and the 2010 location map.

Mayorga gave this explanation following statements of Assembly member Esteban Torres (CREO) who said that  four months ago the Ministry delivered a report to the IACHR with a map in which the Maxus and Nashiño groups appear located in blocks 31 and 43, and now a different report is delivered.

Last Friday, after a meeting with Vice President Jorge Glas, the majority of the Assembly members of the ruling party were inclined to give their approval for the exploitation of the Yasuni, but with the condition of keeping intact the area inhabited by the peoples in voluntary isolation.