Protests for the Yasuni will continue in Quito

After the warning made by the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, that he would withdraw the quotas of the students who protested in favor of the Yasuni, and his clarification that they could go but after classes, the number of protesters has declined considerably, as the walk of yesterday convened about 350 people, while the ones made before the announcement  was attended by a few thousand people.

The protesters walked through the main streets in the North of Quito to Petroamazonas, the State company that allegedly will take over the exploitation of the ITT block (Ishipingo, Tambacocha, and Tiputini).

These marches for the defense of the Yasuní will continue every Thursday, and it is possible that its participants will march towards the National Assembly to monitor the advancement of the preparation of the reports that will allow the exploitation of the areas.

Meanwhile, with the votes in favor of ten legislators of Alianza Pais (AP) and Jose Bolivar Castillo (ARE) ,Rene Yandun (MID), and one abstention, by Henry Cucalón (PSC-MG), the Commission’s autonomous governments approved yesterday the request to declare the non-renewable resources of the blocks 31 and 43 of the Yasuni National Park of national interest.

Furthermore, commissions of Justice and collective rights recommended that any extractive activity should be suspended if it is evidence of the presence of peoples in voluntary isolation there in any phase of the process.

Rosa Muñoz (AP), Vice President of the Committee on collective rights noted that the favorable report that they vote today indicates that the intangible zone cannot be touched and is recommends to the Executive to carry out a consultation to the community.

Part of the report submitted by the Ministry of Justice to the Assembly, indicates that 66 ‘events’ indicates the presence of indigenous people between 2008 and 2012 in the Yasuni Park, although it clarifies that there is no documented information.