In the Peruvian Amazon, indigenous tribes have taken dozens of tourists hostage to protest government inaction following an oil spill. “With this action, we want to draw the attention of the government,” Watson Trujillo, head of the Cuninico municipality, told radio station RPP on Thursday.
The approximately 70 tourists imprisoned on a tributary of the Marañon are Peruvians and foreigners. According to the information, the foreign holidaymakers come from the US, Spain, France, Great Britain and Switzerland, including women and children.
Pipeline leak: Mayor cites government for local inspection
Tribal representative Trujillo has called for a government delegation to be sent to the region to investigate the environmental damage caused by the rupture of the Norperuano oil pipeline in mid-September. In the accident, 2,500 tons of crude oil flowed into the Cuninico River.
Oil spill, river blockade, state of emergency
Earlier, the indigenous people had already blocked passage for all ships on the river to draw attention to the oil slick. At the end of September, the government declared a state of emergency for 90 days in the region, which is home to about 2,500 indigenous peoples.
Operator: Pipeline damaged intentionally
The 800-kilometer-long Norperuano pipeline, owned by state-owned Petroperu, was built about 40 years ago to transport crude oil from the Amazon to the coast. According to Petroperu, the pipeline was deliberately damaged by a 21-centimeter cut.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
