Press Releases

Venezuelan Ministers of Defense and Environment Bring Delegation to Gran Sabana for Meeting With Indian Protesters Pemon Demand Meeting With President Chavez As Standoff Over Power-line Project Continues

Gran Sabana, Venezuela – Representatives from the Pemon Indigenous communities of Venezuela's Gran Sabana region met Monday with a high level government delegation, including Raúl Salazar, the country’s Minister of Defense and Jesús Pérez, Minister of Environment, as protests continue following a move by the state-owned power company, Corporación Venezolano de Guyana (CVG), to resume construction works on a new high

Delegación de Ministros de Defensa y Ambiente de Venezuela visitan a la Gran Sabana para Reunirse con Integrantes de la Protesta Indígena Pemones Demandan Reunión con el Presidente Chavéz mientras polémica sobre Proyecto del Tendido Eléctrico Con

Gran Sabana, Venezuela – Representantes de la comunidad Indígena Pemon de la Gran Sabana de Venezuela se reunieron Lunes con una delegación gubernamental de alto nivel incluyendo a Raúl Salazar, el ministro de Defensa y Jesús Pérez, el Ministro de Ambiente.

Candlelight March and Vigil at OXY CEO'S House Protesters demand cancellation of project in U'wa indigenous territory

WHAT: A candlelight march and vigil in the neighborhood of Dr. Ray Irani, CEO of Occidental Petroleum Corporation.

WHERE: Sunset Blvd. at the corner of Bel Air Drive, one block W. of N.

Venezuelan Indians Down Electrical Towers and Block Construction Crews More than 200 National Guards Surround Pemon Protestors

Gran Sabana, Venezuela - Since yesterday, Pemon Indigenous communities living in Venezuela's Gran Sabana region have downed four electrical towers on their land ten miles from the City of Santa Elena near the border with Brazil.

La Construcción del Tendido Eléctrico a Brasil se Encuentra con Protesta Indígena Indios Venezolanos Derriban Postes del Tendido Electrico y Bloquean los Vehículos de Construcción

Gran Sabana, Venezuela – Desde ayer las comunidades indígenas Pemon que viven en la Gran Sabana de Venezuela derribaron cuatro postes del tendido electrico ubicado en su tierra, cerca de la carpintería de la comunidad en la orilla del río Uairen, según el Capitán de la comunidad indígena de Maurak Lino Páez.

Colombian President Pastrana Condemned for Granting Occidental Permit for Oil Drilling on U'wa Tribal Land International Protests to Escalate

Washington, DC - An international coalition of environmental and human rights leaders condemned Colombian President Andrés Pastrana today for his decision to grant the Los-Angeles based Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) permission to proceed with oil drilling on U'wa tribal lands.

The Colombian Government Urged to Reject Occidental's License to Drill on U'wa Tribe's Land

Los Angeles, CA - An international alliance of more than 100 organizations from 24 countries sent a joint letter to Juan Mayr, Colombia's award-winning Environment Minister, urging him to reject the Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum's (OXY) pending license to drill its first oil well on the U'wa's sacred ancestral lands.

The Colombian Government Urged to Reject Occidental's License to Drill on U'wa Tribe's Land

Los Angeles, CA - An international alliance of more than 100 organizations from 24 countries sent a joint letter to Juan Mayr, Colombia's award-winning Environment Minister, urging him to reject the Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum's (OXY) pending license to drill its first oil well on the U'wa's sacred ancestral lands.

U'WA of Colombia Uphold Opposition to All Oil Drilling as Tribe Granted Expansion of Legal Territory

A Colombian Indian tribe has upheld its opposition to oil drilling on its traditional territory after winning legal title to a significant portion of that land. At a government ceremony intended to celebrate the creation of the Unified U'wa Reservation (Resguardo Unido) the U'wa restated that all of their traditional lands must remain free from oil projects, not just the sections that have been legally deeded to them.

Indigenous Peoples Will Have A Role in Writing a New Venezuelan Constitution The Constitutional Assembly Inaugurated Today

Caracas, Venezuela – Indigenous peoples of Venezuela celebrated a historic moment today as three prominent Indigenous leaders took their seat in the opening day of the National Constitutional Assembly. Outside the Assembly, nearly 75 Indigenous leaders danced and sang in their traditional attire in support of their elected representatives.