The peace and tranquility enjoyed by foreign tourists at Anaconda Lodge, located in Napo, ended at the end of October 2022. Since that month the noise of dump trucks and backhoes, emitted almost 24 hours a day, exceeds the trill of birds, the sounds of monkeys, insects and other unique species of the area.
Heavy machinery began to extract stone material from the area and for this the course of the Napo River has been diverted, says Francisco Rodríguez, one of the owners of Anaconda Lodge.
Ambition for gold contaminated the water of Yutzupino, in Napo, with mercury, diesel and gasoline, according to groups
Francisco has denounced the “ecocide” that is being carried out in the Balzachicta sector, Ahuano parish, Tena canton, through social networks. He speaks of a “destroying” impact on nature and the economy of the lodges in the sector: “Some tourists only stayed one night and canceled the rest of their stay due to the noise and desolate landscape they see when they navigate the river” , he says to THE UNIVERSE.
He affirms that he cannot “lie” to tourists and not tell them what is happening: “This machinery belongs to the Prefecture and is now supposedly extracting stone material, but they do not have permits. They are building pools, that’s how Yutzupino started (a town in Napo that has been seriously affected by illegal mining).”.
A report from the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (Maate), to which EL UNIVERSO had access, presented on December 6, 2022, confirms that the machinery belongs to the Napo Prefecture and that the work is being carried out within the free use mining concession called BALZACHICTA GADP DE NAPO with code 100000660: “Mining concession that is in a state of processing in this entity,” says the Maate document.
I am a small foreign investor, the State of #Ecuador he scammed me.
THEY INSTALLED AN ILLEGAL MINING COMPANY IN FRONT OF MY PLACE OF LODGING @anaconda_lodge ON THE #AMAZONIA,REGULATORY AUTHORITIES TURN THE BLESS EYE.@nielsolsenp@GustavoManriq_M@LassoGuillermo@Presidencia_Ec pic.twitter.com/KFRLSUuXGs— Gringo (@GringoRodriguez) January 18, 2023
The report indicates that the company contracted by the provincial government has indicated that the extraction is due to the “maintenance of the Ahuano – Pununo ring road.” Nevertheless, The document details that the works are being carried out without any type of permits or environmental license.
Nor does it have permits to carry out activities of alteration of the water domain, modification of the riverbank in zones and water protection areas. That is to say, they were not authorized to modify the course of the river. In fact, the report details that a “very serious” infraction has been incurred, for which reason extraction activities were temporarily prohibited. The report was sent with a copy to the Prefecture to present an action plan.
Oil spills, mining expansion, deforestation and species trafficking continued to impact nature in Ecuador in 2022
“Despite this, the activity with machinery continues, it has not stopped. They put an appeal in justice, they continue to pollute. The diversion of the channel will affect the populations downstream”, affirms Rodríguez.
In addition, he affirms that the tourist image that the country is giving is fatal. Rodríguez has uploaded videos where he shows foreign tourists amazed to see what is being done with the heavy machinery: “When we sell the Amazon we sell peace, harmony with nature, birds, monkeys, not this terrible landscape”.
Rodriguez says that as a foreign investor he feels “ripped off” by the State, since he does not feel support for his investment: “I’m Chilean. I have been living in the Amazon for more than 27 years. I came here (Ecuador), I invested in the tourist lodge. I have been denouncing this since October of last year since we saw the movement of the machines. The Ministry of the Environment came for my complaint”.
In the economic aspect, he affirms that if the intervention continues, he will have to “pause” the activities of the lodge because the cancellations of tourists have increased and because he cannot sell an Amazonian paradise and when visitors arrive they see the opposite.
“I have already spoken to my workers and explained the situation to them. If this continues, I will put the lodge on hold as it happened in the pandemic ”, she affirms. He adds that for denouncing the incident he has received threats and attacks because of his foreign status. He has requested police protection, but so far his request has not been met.
“I have been denouncing illegal mining in Napo. I think a Yutzupino 2 is coming”, affirms Rodríguez.
TODAY 18.01.2023
📍#RíoNapo mouth #RíoArajuno,sector #balzachicta,#Ahuano,#Napo,#Amazon,#Ecuador
Time 5:15 p.m.follow the #ecocide in sight and patience of ALL the regulatory authorities of the 🇪🇨.
NOBODY CARES?
THIS IS A CRY FOR HELP!#NoIllegalMining #SOSRíoNapo pic.twitter.com/rj1uQRAVFn
— Gringo (@GringoRodriguez) January 18, 2023
EL UNIVERSO tried to get a version from the Napo Prefecture about this complaint and the Maate report, but we were told that they “would make the respective inquiries” and that they would later confirm if they would grant an interview.
The Maate was also consulted about the non-observance of paralyzing the extraction of the material by the Prefecture and we were told that “in relation to the publication about mining activities in front of a place of lodging in Napo, we allow ourselves to indicate that a team del Maate will carry out an inspection to verify which place specifically corresponds to the complaint made by social networks”.
Meanwhile, personnel from the Ministry of Tourism carried out an inspection of the place on January 20 and collected photographic material and testimonials of what is happening. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
