Colombian authorities initiate investigation of complaints against MasterChef Ecuador for the use of wild meat

The Colombian Ministry of the Environment and the Prosecutor’s Office of that country announced a joint investigation into the complaints made to MasterChef Ecuador for the use of wild meat in the program that was broadcast on January 3, 2022 by Teleamazonas.

The Colombian authorities decided to investigate the case since the program is recorded in the coffee nation.

“With the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office, we are carrying out the investigation of complaints that circulate on social networks about the use of wildlife by-products in television programs. We recall that the Environmental Crimes Law typifies these crimes against our fauna”Said the Colombian Ministry of the Environment on its Twitter account.

In addition, Carlos Eduardo Correa, Secretary of the Environment of Colombia, also affirmed that they are “verifying the veracity of information circulating on social networks about the use of wildlife by-products in television programs”.

In the controversial chapter 34, which has already been deleted from the official Teleamazonas account on YouTube, the participants were asked to cook dishes with capybara, crocodile, rooster shark and venison meat. All are wild species and are in different categories of danger of extinction or there is insufficient data to determine the risk of their population in both Ecuador and Colombia.

In the coffee-growing country there would be capybaras and crocodile farms for their consumption, but the origin of the meat must be demonstrated. Although for the tollo and the deer it is presumed that their use was illegal, said the Colombian Platform for Animals STOP!

Yesterday, the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador also showed its rejection of the dissemination of this content because it encouraged “the purchase and consumption of wild species or their constituent elements.”

“We call on citizens to respect and protect the extraordinary biodiversity of the country and urge the media to support the strengthening of national environmental policy,” added the entity.

As the hours go by, more organizations have been adding to the questions for the program. For example, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – Ecuador Program requested that Teleamazonas and the producers of MasterChef make a public clarification on the use of bushmeat in Ecuador and on the origin of the wild meat that was used.

Meanwhile, the Quito Zoo indicated that it is “inappropriate for messages promoting the consumption of wildlife to be broadcast. We see this as an error in the development of television content. We also urge that the environmental authority pay more attention to the problem of hunting and trafficking of wildlife.”.

Tarsicio Granizo, current director of the WWF-Ecuador organization and former Minister of the Environment, indicated that the use of wildlife in the MasterChef program violated articles 35, 70, 317 and 318 of the Environmental Organic Code: “Add to that the fact that some species are listed as endangered. And add the biosecurity factors ”.

In addition, he pointed out that it would not matter if the program is recorded in Colombia, since the problem is the message: “The hunting, commercialization and consumption of bushmeat are prohibited in Ecuador except if it is for the survival of indigenous peoples and nationalities.”

So far there has not been a statement from the production of the program or the television network in the face of the questions. (I)