Oil and Gas Exploration Means Death: Colombian President Petro
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, 2024. X/ @kienyke
October 25, 2024 Hour: 11:47 am
His proposal to decarbonize the Colombian economy, however, has met with resistance from farmers and miners.
On Thursday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro assured that his administration will not sign new oil exploration and extraction contracts because it “brings death.”
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“In about 10 to 15 years, the signing of new exploration contracts will mean exposing our children and grandchildren to the total extinction of the human species,” he said during the 22nd Ibero-American Conference of Labor Ministers in Bogota.
Petro has repeatedly presented himself as a staunch defender of the environment and an opponent of extractivist economies and fossil fuels, which he claims will lead to the extinction of humanity.
His policy philosophy, however, has detractors. In Colombia, farmers and miners have expressed opposition to the declaration of new environmental protection areas.
Throughout the week, hundreds of farmers have blocked some roads in Boyaca, Cordoba, Antioquia, the Coffee Region, Norte de Santander, and Santander. In the latter department, two dialogues between the government and producers have ended unsuccessfully.
Previously, Interior Minister Juan Cristo called on citizens to engage in dialogue and urged them to unblock the roads to prevent affecting food supply in some parts of the country. He also stated that the Petro administration is analyzing options to avoid affecting miners’ labor rights.
Former Trade Minister Jose Restrepo considers the refusal to sign new gas and oil exploration contracts to be an economic suicide for a country like Colombia. He claims that Petro’s decision puts at risk 5.6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, 20 percent of fiscal revenues, 35 percent of foreign direct investment, 40 percent of Colombian exports, and 80 percent of oil royalties.
teleSUR/ JF Sources: EFE – W Radio
