Press Release | Amazon Watch

U.S. Agency Delays Vote on Financing ENRON’s Controversial Pipeline through Amazon Forest

WHAT: At the meeting of its Board of Directors today, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) voted to delay decision on loan guarantees to Enron International for a planned natural gas pipeline that would cut through 200km of primary tropical forest and 100km of pristine wetlands in the Bolivian Amazon.

March 9, 1999

3,283 views

3 min read

U.S. Agency Delays Vote on Financing ENRON’s Controversial Pipeline through Amazon Forest

WHAT At the meeting of its Board of Directors today, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) voted to delay decision on loan guarantees to Enron International for a planned natural gas pipeline that would cut through 200km of primary tropical forest and 100km of pristine wetlands in the Bolivian Amazon.

March 9, 1999

2,147 views

3 min read

U.S. Agency to Vote on Financing Controversial Pipeline Through Endangered Amazon Forest in Bolivia Environmental Groups Warn: Destructive Project Violates OPIC Policies and Clinton’s Pledge

WHAT: On March 9, the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will consider providing financing – backed by US tax dollars – for a natural gas pipeline that will cut through 200km of primary tropical forest and 100km of pristine wetlands in the Bolivian Amazon.

March 3, 1999

3,174 views

2 min read

Investors Get Strong Warning at Energy Conference: "Oil and Gas Projects in the Amazon Carry Major Risks" Clean Energy Investments Urged

Coconut Grove, FL - The international environmental organizations Amazon Watch and Rainforest Action Network (RAN) held a "Project Risk Briefing" on controversial new oil and gas projects showcased at this week's Andean Energy '98 conference.

December 8, 1998

2,073 views

3 min read

California's "Project Bandaloop" Sky Dances for an End to the Fossil Fuel Era Photos Available from Reuters Photo TV Footage Available from Reuters Television

Buenos Aires - Last evening, thousands of people watched as sky dancers from California presented "Awakening", a multi-media spectacle of dance and imagery while suspended from the 6-story Law School building outside of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.

November 9, 1998

2,422 views

2 min read

Amazon Watch is building on more than three decades of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.

DONATE NOW

Construction Crews Blocked by Indigenous Protestors in Venezuela Military Tank and Riot Team Sent to Popular Tourist Destination

Since Monday, October 12, more than 250 indigenous residents of the Canaima National Park and surrounding areas of southern Venezuela have been protesting again against the 450-mile power line being built to Brazil. The protests come one month after Venezuelan government unilaterally broke off talks with the Indian leaders.

October 15, 1998

3,610 views

2 min read

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.

August 27, 1998

2,337 views

2 min read

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.

August 12, 1998

2,074 views

3 min read

Communique from the Pueblo U’wa

Cubara, ColombiaWe, 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 p

August 10, 1998

1,405 views

6 min read

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.

August 7, 1998

2,635 views

2 min read

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.

August 6, 1998

986 views

3 min read

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.

August 5, 1998

5,358 views

2 min read

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.

August 3, 1998

2,729 views

2 min read

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.

July 28, 1998

4,838 views

2 min read

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.

April 29, 1998

3,892 views

2 min read

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 ju

April 22, 1998

1,211 views

3 min read

Full-page New York Times Ad Warns Investors: Occidental’s Amazon Oil Project is a "Death Sentence" for the U’wa Tribe

In a full-page ad appearing in the New York Times today, an international coalition of twenty-seven environmental, human rights, and religious organization warned that Occidental Petroleum’s "Samoré" oil project is a death sentence for the U’wa people.

April 14, 1998

5,045 views

2 min read

Environmentalists Disrupt Trade Conference in Atlanta US Government: Don't "Fast-Track" the Destruction of the Amazon & Our Climate

Atlanta, Georgia - Demanding an end to "fast-track" destruction of the Amazon and the Earth's climate, environmentalists today disrupted a US government-sponsored conference designed to promote US investment in Latin America.

November 6, 1997

4,673 views

2 min read

Tribe Threatens Mass Suicide U’wa Chief to Deliver a Personal Message to Occidental Petroleum and Shell (Entrevistas en Espanol)

WHO: Roberto Cobaria, President of the Traditional U’wa Authority, an indigenous tribe from the Cloud Forest joins scores of demonstrators and other concerned members of the Los Angeles environmental, human rights, religious, legal and academic communities calling on Occidental and Shell International to abandon plan

October 20, 1997

2,239 views

2 min read

Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, Yanomami Indigenous Leader from Brazil

TO ALL WHO WISH TO HEAR METhe biggest problem for the Yanomami Indians now are the garimpeiro (goldminers) who are in our land, and the illnesses they bring with them. The government's National Health Foundation say that 1300 Yanomami had got malaria up until May this year.

August 25, 1997

2,664 views

3 min read

All Press Releases

Amazon Watch is building on more than three decades of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.

"Indigenous peoples face horrid state violence. Through you, we stand up to this violence and demand a better future. Thank you for your great work!"

Take Action

Get Our Newsletter

Follow Us