San Francisco, CA – As ChevronTexaco contemplates renewed operations in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, indigenous leaders, representing 30,000 people, today traveled to San Francisco to tell the petroleum giant: “CLEAN UP. PAY UP.
Ecuador
International Alliance Vows to Intensify Opposition in Eight Countries to Ecuador’s OCP Oil Pipeline Amazon Pipeline Downgraded by Moody’s, Criticized by the World Bank
Sassenberg, Germany - Representatives from more than forty non-governmental organizations from eight countries, along with German parliamentarians and political party activists, concluded a 3-day summit today in Sassenberg on the growing environmental and social problems caused by the new oil pipeline in Ecuador – one o
Residents and Environmentalists Paralyze OCP Pipeline Construction in Mindo Community Members and International Observer Arrested
Mindo, Ecuador — Approximately one hundred Mindo residents, students, and members of the Italian Green Party peacefully occupied a construction site of Ecuador’s new OCP pipeline inside the Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest Reserve today to protest ongoing construction through the ecologically sensitive region.
Outside Halls of Power, Many Fear Free Trade
New York Times | Quito, Ecuador - Two heated debates about free tradetook place here last week, yet they were so differentthey might as well have been on separate planets.The most visible one was at a meeting of tradeministers from the United States and 33 othercountries, who tried to hammer out a road map for
US, Latam Agree on Americas Free Trade Zone by 2005
Reuters | Quito, Ecuador - The United States,Canada and Latin America agreed to a strict timetableon Friday to negotiate a free trade zone that wouldspan the Americas by 2005, but failed to settlefestering disputes that trade chiefs said couldunravel negotiations.The one-day meeting of ministers in
Amazon Watch is building on more than 25 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
U.S. Works to Calm Free Trade Talks
Associated Press | Quito, Ecuador - Under tight security and threats ofprotests, U.S. officials worked Friday to temperskepticism from some Latin American countries about aplan to create a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone by2005.
Trade Meeting in Flux Talks Marred by Street Protests
Miami Herald | Quito, Ecuador - Ecuadorean security forces battledprotesters Thursday but the standoff failed to disruptthe work of trade ministers trying to hammer out aregional trade pact.An estimated 10,000 anti-free trade protesters werenot the only voices clamoring for an audience in Quitoas trade o
Amid Growing Resistance, U.S. Hopes to Keep Talks on Americas' Free Trade Pact on Track
Associated Press | Quito, Ecuador - Facing escalating resistance by some Latin American countries for a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone, U.S. trade officials hope to shore up support from allies in the region. U.S.
Thousands Protest Trade in Ecuador
Associated Press | Quito, Ecuador - Thousands of demonstrators marched in Ecuador's capital Thursday to protest free trade talks scheduled for Friday, setting off clashes at police barricades.
Local de McDonald´s fue Blanco de las Protestas
El Comercio | Quito, Ecuador - Uno de los establecimientos de la estadounidense McDonald´s en Quito fue blanco el miércoles de duras protestas por parte de integrantes de organizaciones sociales que participaban en una marcha contra la creación del Area de Libre Comercio de las Américas (ALCA).
10 000 Manifestantes Marcharon Contra el ALCA
El Comercio | Quito, Ecuador - La movilización fue encabezada por Evo Morales, de Bolivia; Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, de Argentina y Leonidas Iza, de Ecuador. Grupos de radicales se enfrentaron a la Policía: hubo un herido y 22 asfixiados.Los estudiantes de la FEUE tenían pañuelos en el rostro.
Thousands Protest Free-Trade Talks in Ecuador
EFE | Quito, Ecuador - Thousands of people marched in Ecuador's capital on Thursday to protest talks for an Americas-wide free trade zone as diplomats under heavy guard led negotiations to lay groundwork for a meeting of ministers.
U.S.-Backed Trade Pact Meets Strong Opposition in Ecuador
OneWorld.net | Thousands of small-scale farmers, indigenous groups, students, and activists from around Latin America have come together in Quito, Ecuador, to protest plans to put in place a United States-backed free trade agreement across the Americas.
Latin American Parliamentarians Reject FTAA
Xinhua News Agency | Quito - Parliamentarians from some Latin American countries on Wednesday rejected the Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) for the region.The move came after a two-day debate on the FTAA by the 33 parliamentarians from Mexico, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, El Salvador, Venezuela and Colombia.
As U.S. Seeks a Trade Accord, Brazilians Recall Discord
New York Times | SÃo Paulo - For a hint of the trouble lying ahead this week for theUnited States proposals for a free-trade pact with Latin America, considerLuiz Fernando Furlan's chicken problems.Mr.
Thousands Protest FTAA Summit in Ecuador Today as Trade Ministers Kick Off Talks on Controversial Accord Caravans from Throughout the Hemisphere Arrive in Quito To Say ‘No to Free Trade, Yes to Life’
Washington DC — As trade ministers from the Americas gather today in Quito, Ecuador to advance the negotiations for the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), thousands of citizens from around the hemisphere are pouring into the streets of Quito.
Oil Pipeline Forges Ahead in Ecuador
The New York Times | Mindo, Ecuador - Environmentalists in this cloud forest ofnorthern Ecuador still dream of halting construction of anew oil pipeline that the builders said could bringspectacular wealth to this poor Andean country.
Protesters Try to Storm McDonald's Restaurant Ahead of Free Trade Talks in Ecuador
Associated Press | Quito, Ecuador - A group of Indian activists and university students tried to storm a McDonald's restaurant Wednesday as part of growing protests ahead of free trade talks scheduled this week.
Despite Energy Potential, Ecuador Expansion Plans Face Steep Challenges
Oil Daily | Ecuador's plans for dramatic growth in oil production face a myriad of potential obstacles, including the region's ongoing financial crisis, environmental protests, and internal political uncertainty.At first glance, the energy industry of the former Opec member seems to be on the fast track for growth.
ACTIONS URGING WESTLB TO STOP FUNDING THE OCP PIPELINE IN ECUADOR Report Back from the International Day of Action
Compiled by Rainforest Information Center and Amazon Watch(update as of 3:30 pm California Time on Oct 24).Actions were held in at least 15 cities around the world - Milan, Dublin, Prague, New York City, Quito, Washington DC, Barcelona, Zurich, London, Munich, Muenster, Dusseldorf, Los Angeles, Warsaw and Canberr
Las Presiones de Grupos Ambientalistas de Alemania Se Intensificarán esta Semana El Crédito para el OCP Ecuador está en Revisión
El Comercio | Corresponsal en Italia Esta semana el Gobierno (regional) de Renania del Norte-Westfalia (NRW) de Alemania anunciará su posición sobre el controvertido proyecto del Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados (OCP) que lleva adelante la compañía OCP Ecuador.
Author of World Bank Environmental Policies Says the OCP Crude Pipeline in Ecuador Threatens Amazon Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples
Washington D.C. — Environmental groups in Germany and the US released a new report today that provides conclusive evidence that the German Bank Westdeutsche Landesbank (WestLB) violated its own policies in loaning $900 million to the OCP Consortium building Ecuador’s new heavy crude pipeline.
Independent Compliance Assessment of OCP with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Policies.
Download this report (pdf)(542 kb)Download Photo Annex (pdf)(687 kb)This compliance assessment analyzes the
Burlington Response to NGO Letter
See letter (pdf 89k)
Burlington Response to Cristobal Bonifaz
See letter (pdf 268k)
OCP Ecuador Increases Pipeline Investment to US$1.3bn - Ecuador
BNamericas.com | The OCP Ecuador consortium will spend US$1.3bn to build the OCP heavycrude pipeline, or about US$200mn more than specified in the contractsigned with the government, OCPs new president, Andy Patterson, saidTuesday in a statement.
Letter from Attorney Cristobal Bonifaz to Burlington Resources
See Letter (pdf 6k)
Environmentalists Call on German Bank to Cancel Loan for Ecuador Oil Pipeline Protest Held at WestLB’s New York Headquarters
New York, NY – Following on the heels of activist Julia Butterfly Hill’s arrest and deportation last week from Ecuador, US environmental groups are bringing the international campaign against the OCP oil pipeline to the New York offices of WestLB, the German bank that is syndicating $900 million to the pipeline.
Ecuador Congressmen Call Hearings, Aim to Censure Oil Min
Dow Jones Business News | Quito - Ecuador 's Congress began hearings Wednesday afternoon on a motion to censure Energy Minister Pablo Teran, who has been called to appear before lawmakers.Independent Deputy Fernando Aguayo and Deputy Rene Mague of the Democratic Left party accuse the minister of violating both the constitution and the Hydrocarb
