Press Releases

Venezuelan National Guard Assaults Indigenous Community with Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets for Blocking Construction of Power line

Mapauri, Venezuela - At approximately 3:20 p.m. EST yesterday, the Venezuelan National Guard - with orders from an unidentified source - assaulted residents of Mapauri, a small Indigenous community in the State of Bolivar located in the municipality of the Gran Sabana.

Day 11 of Protest in the Venezuelan Amazon: Venezuelan National Guard Brings in Tanks to Disperse Protestors

El Dorado, Venezuela - At approximately 6:30 am (EST) today, fifty members of the Venezuelan National Guard moved into kilometer 16, the site of the 11-day old blockade – to disperse 800 Indigenous peoples protesting the construction of a new high voltage power line from Venezuela to Brazil.

Communique from the Pueblo U’wa

Cubara, Colombia
We, the U’wa, declare to the government and its various entities, to Congress , to the different social organizations, human rights NGO’s, national and international environmentalists, to the oil companies and to the Colombian people in general, that we have united formally behind the stoppages and peaceful demonstrations that has been going on since July 30 in Sarare and in the municipalities of t

Day 5 - 1,200 Venezuelan Indians Shut-Down Traffic on Highway to Brazil Leaders Announce Blockade to Continue Indefinitely

El Dorado, Venezuela - More than 1,200 Indians from the Imataca and Gran Sabana regions are now gathered at kilometer 16 blocking all traffic along the only highway between Venezuela and Brazil. They are protesting a high voltage electrical transmission line being built through their rainforest homeland in violation of international and Venezuelan law.

Fourth Day: 800 Venezuela Indians Continue Occupation of Highway Indigenous Leaders Hold Press Conference in Caracas on August 7 --- note: Associated Press reporter and photographer in the region---

El Dorado, Venezuela - For the fourth time in the past week, Over 800 Indigenous people of the Imataca and Grand Savanna regions are gathered at kilometer 16 of the only highway between Venezuela and Brazil protesting a high voltage electrical transmission line being built through their rainforest homeland.

1,000 Venezuelan Indians Blockade Main Highway to Brazil Protest Marks 500 Years since the Arrival of Columbus to Venezuela --- note: Associated Press reporter and photographer on the scene ---

El Dorado, Venezuela - Just shortly after 1:30 PM (EST) today, nearly 1,000 Pemon Indians of the Imataca and Grand Savanna regions began a blockade of construction crews on the only highway between Venezuela and Brazil. They are protesting a high voltage electrical transmission line being built through their rainforest homeland in violation of international and Venezuelan law.

Indigenous Blockade of the Brazil –Venezuela International Road May Continue This Week Pending Meeting

Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela - The Indigenous Federation of the State of Bolivar said on Friday that hundreds of Pemon Indians are prepared to resume protests over the high voltage power line to Brazil this week pending talks with the Government. Last week, approximately 800 people from five different Indigenous tribes blockaded the only road link between Brazil and Venezuela for two days.

Day 2 - Indigenous Peoples Blockade International Highway In Protest of Guri Electrical Line

El Dorado, Venezuela - The Indigenous Federation of Bolivar State reported that since 6:00 am, Monday morning, July 27, more than 800 members of the Indigenous communities of Imataca rainforest and the Grand Savanna have been blockading the International road that connects southern Venezuela to Brazil.

U’wa Tribal Leader to Attend Occidental’s Annual Meeting Press Conference and Native Prayer Circle outside the Shareholder Meeting

Santa Monica, CA - An U’wa tribal leader has traveled to Los Angeles from the rainforest of Colombia in order to attend the annual shareholder meeting of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation. The U’wa, a traditional community of 5,000 Indigenous people who live in the Colombian cloudforest, have vowed to walk off of a 1,400 foot cliff in mass suicide if Occidental Petroleum drills on their sacred ancestral homelands.

Seven Arrested at Earth Day Protest in Los Angeles Protesting Occidental Petroleum Project on Sacred U'wa Land in Colombia

Los Angeles – Seven people were arrested this afternoon in front of the LA headquarters of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy), protesting the company’s plans to drill for oil on U’wa peoples homeland in Colombia.

Protesters installed a 23-foot metal pipeline in the company’s lobby, the end of the pipe jutting through the front doors and onto the sidewalk, dripping blood onto the company’s front steps