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Operations to destroy unlawful roadways in Colombia's Amazon struck dead stop, sources say

Government determines to damage illegal roadways around Colombia's Amazon rainforest are stalled, 8 sources told , with one operation suspended completely over concerns it could hold up peace talks between rebels and President Gustavo Petro's administration.

The building and construction of roads through rain forests in Colombia by rural neighborhoods, livestock ranchers and illegal armed groups is a. major contributor to deforestation, ecological specialists and. researchers state. That is particularly vital in the Amazon, which. takes in substantial amounts of carbon that adds to environment. change and is already a focus of issue.

There are at least 12 prohibited roadways around. Chiribiquete national forest - a UNESCO world heritage website in. Colombia's Amazon. But there are no recognized operations underway to. damage them, ecological procurator Gustavo Guerrero told. , in spite of Petro's pledges to secure the environment.

spoke to the sources on condition of anonymity,. who detailed how one federal government operation to demolish a road. cutting into Chiribiquete was halted and numerous other planned. operations not started. The stalled and suspended strategies have not. been previously reported.

Petro has made the environment a focus of his speeches. both in the house and abroad, and his government commemorated a 29%. decrease in deforestation throughout 2022.

The delays might trigger disciplinary action versus. officials for stopping working to safeguard the environment, the. procurator's office, an independent public guard dog, stated.

Neither Petro, his workplace nor any national official has. hampered the damage of the Yari Yaguara roadway, the workplace. said in a statement, describing among the roads flagged by. the sources.

The Yari Yaguara roadway has actually not been gone over at peace talks. with the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) rebels, the statement stated,. adding the process to destroy it was advancing in line with. legal requirements.

In remarks to , Environment Minister Susana Muhamad. emphasized that operations to destroy roads are part of a. comprehensive technique that consists of peace efforts, human rights. and the battle versus logging.

The operations and their preparation continue in the fight. versus deforestation and ecological crimes, Muhamad stated in. a text.

The defense ministry said in a statement late on Monday that. all of its operational, intelligence and investigative. capabilities were available for the damage of the Yari. Yaguara road, but that the operation needed to take place with. inter-institutional coordination.

Security forces will follow any accords reached between the. government and the EMC, the ministry stated, including it might not. supply a possible date for destruction of the road.

6 people knowledgeable about the matter said the operation to. damage a roadway bisecting Chiribiquete was prepared last December. The operation did not proceed after the military expressed. concerns over potential clashes with residents and broader. government issues about holding up already stuffed peace. talks with the EMC, who operate in the area, sources stated.

The EMC rebels have combined control in parts of the. country, leading to what some call a pseudo-state where. Colombia's government has little influence. A ceasefire has. currently been canceled in some provinces.

2 sources stated an operation to ruin the road was also. planned for January, while another stated plans were when in location. to deal with all unlawful roadways.

It's like an illness that keeps dispersing, said among the. sources, describing the lack of action on unlawful roads and. the ecological damage they trigger by increasing access to when. unreachable forest.

' EVIDENT FAILURE'

The procurator's office last year required that the. environment ministry damage another unlawful road near to. Chiribiquete, without results.

We're not aware of any operation to close or disable any. prohibited roads in the Amazon, Guerrero stated in an interview. There is an obvious failure in the execution of preventive and. preventive measures for those roads.

The cops strategy to destroy the road highlighted by the. procurator's office but have actually not taken action, one of the. sources said. Guerrero stated his workplace has actually started a disciplinary. examination into the federal government's general absence of development. The procurator's workplace has the power to sanction authorities up. to government ministers and eliminate them from their posts.

The federal government expects to report another drop in. deforestation for 2023, however minister Muhamad in April warned. damage was increasing in 2024 amid a prolonged dry spell.

Even if Petro's government has great factor for aborting. operations, the absence of action on prohibited roads contradicts his. guarantees to deal with deforestation, among the sources stated.

In the end, they aren't acting. Something must be. done..

(source: Reuters)