International

Indigenous people in Ecuador reject oil extraction in Yasuni

Photo: The New York Times

June 23 |

In the context of the Pan-Amazonian Conference held in the Brazilian city of Belen, indigenous leaders urged the unity of all native communities in Ecuador to prohibit oil extraction in areas of the Yasuni National Park (northeast), while the popular consultation that will decide on the matter, scheduled for August 20, is approaching.

The president of the Waorani Nation of Ecuador (Nawe), Juan Bay, said in statements to the press that “it is worrying the bad habit of the oil industry to divide (the communities) by giving a crumb of resources without understanding what is being taken (…) That is why we are calling for unity”.

Bay asserted that they have not received benefits in health, development or education since the arrival of oil extractions in 2016 to the vicinity of Yasuní, a banner of Amazonian biodiversity and land of peoples in voluntary isolation.

Likewise, the indigenous leader condemned the reduction of the territory of the Tagaeri, Taromenane, Waorani and Kichwa peoples, which will provoke a “slaughter” and “confrontations” for the control of the area.

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For her part, the leader of Women and Health of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (Confeniae), Nemo Guiquita, denounced that the only thing that extraction has generated is “contamination, deaths and illnesses”.

In turn, the leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), Alicia Cahuiya, rejected the division between communities by the oil company and, in the event that the option of allowing oil exploitation in Yasuní wins, held the State and Petroecuador responsible for possible deaths in confrontations.

At least two of the seven indigenous communities in the area were in favor of oil extraction. This is the case of Kawymeno and Boca Tiputini, which live from the exploitation of crude oil.

After a ten-year legal battle to have the consultation approved, Ecuadorians will vote on August 20 if they want to stop production in Block 43-ITT, the fourth most productive in the country with 55,000 barrels per day and which represents 11 percent of national oil production.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.