Ecuadorian voters have overwhelmingly supported a ban on future oil extraction in a biodiverse part of the Amazon’s Yasuní Nationwide Park — a historic referendum consequence that may defend Indigenous Yasuní land from growth. We communicate with Helena Gualinga, a youth Kichwa Sarayaku environmental activist from Ecuador who has fought in opposition to oil drilling all her life and says the outcomes of the vote not solely set a “essential precedent” as the primary time a rustic has voted by democratic poll initiative on useful resource extraction within the Amazon, but additionally demonstrates that “Ecuador is a rustic that’s dedicated to defending the Amazon rainforest and to defending Indigenous peoples.”
TRANSCRIPT
It is a rush transcript. Copy might not be in its remaining type.
AMY GOODMAN: That is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
We finish right this moment’s present in Ecuador, the place voters Sunday overwhelmingly supported a historic referendum blocking oil extraction within the Amazon’s Yasuní Nationwide Park, the most important protected space in Ecuador, with large petroleum reserves crossing by way of Indigenous Yasuní land. The hassle was spearheaded by Indigenous leaders and environmental defenders.
This comes as Ecuadorians additionally took to the polls for a snap presidential election that noticed leftist Luisa González place first forward of a runoff election in October. At the least three political leaders had been killed, assassinated, forward of the election.
For extra, we go to Puyo, Ecuador, to talk with Helena Gualinga, a youth Kichwa Sarayaku environmental activist who campaigned for the referendum and grew up within the distant Kichwa Sarayaku neighborhood within the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Helena, it’s great to have you ever with us. Are you able to speak in regards to the significance of this vote?
HELENA GUALINGA: Hello. Sure. This vote — initially, this referendum was presupposed to happen 10 years in the past, and due to corruption, it didn’t occur. And now, lastly, 10 years later, it was handed. And there was a variety of uncertainty of what the outcomes can be. Nevertheless, right this moment Ecuador has actually proven that Ecuador is a rustic that’s dedicated to defending the Amazon rainforest and to guard the Indigenous peoples.
It units an important precedent for all Indigenous territories within the Amazon, in addition to for the world, as a result of that is the primary time that individuals truly get to vote on an oil venture, not to mention an current oil venture. And now this oil venture has to exit, regardless that they nonetheless have — they’re nonetheless energetic in that territory. It’s actually, actually essential on a nationwide stage, however I feel additionally for the world. I imply, a rustic like Ecuador, that, you already know, has been depending on oil for a lot of, a few years economically, decides to vote out oil within the Amazon, actually reveals that that’s the way in which that we needs to be going into.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Helena, this can be a very private story for you. You grew up in a distant neighborhood within the Ecuadorian Amazon. Inform us about your neighborhood and why you’ve gotten mentioned that being an environmental activist, it was not a selection for you.
HELENA GUALINGA: I grew up in Sarayaku, which is a neighborhood right here within the Ecuadorian Amazon. We fought oil after I was a baby, and I witnessed every little thing that occurs when Large Oil tries to come back into your neighborhood with out consent. And, I imply, what was taking place in Yasuní was taking place — after they wished to begin to exploit oil there, it was taking place across the identical time as my neighborhood was capable of kick out the oil firm from our territory. So, this can be a actually fascinating time, as effectively, the place we truly grew up witnessing what was taking place to Yasuní 10 years in the past after they allowed oil exploitation, in addition to we had been capable of defend our territories.
And now 10 years later, we’re capable of defend this, the Yasuní territory, as effectively, which, you already know, is extremely exceptional in the way in which that it’s been achieved, as a result of it’s by way of fashionable vote, and we’ve got tens of millions of people that have truly backed this up. So, I imply, sure, in fact, this has been very emotional for everybody who has been concerned, and particularly for many who come from the Yasuní territory and have been combating for this for over 10 years, making an attempt to guard their lands.
AMY GOODMAN: And might you speak about how this can be a blow to the Ecuadorian president, Lasso, and the importance of the area, the Yasuní forest one of the biodiverse locations on Earth, and the oil firm that’s being kicked out, Helena?
HELENA GUALINGA: The oil firm that’s being kicked out is a state-owned firm, Petroecuador. They solely have one 12 months left of their contract. So, mainly, the referendum is to see if there’s a new contract or if the contract is ended. The federal government has been just a little unclear on the place they really stand. After all, they’ve been selling the “no” vote, however there are a lot of folks inside authorities which have stayed very silent on this, which has been shocking.
I feel what’s extra fascinating than, I suppose, like, the response of the federal government is the response of the brand new candidates, as a result of on the identical time there was presidential elections. Luisa González has been clearly in favor of the “no” vote and in opposition to the safety of this place, as a result of her occasion was the occasion that truly allowed oil exploitation in Yasuní. And her opponent, Daniel Noboa, has pronounced himself in favor of the “sure” vote, in favor of defending it. So, it will likely be actually fascinating additionally to see how they, I suppose, within the second spherical of the elections, will defend the “sure” vote and the “no” vote, as a result of now whichever one wins has to adjust to what the Ecuadorian folks voted, which is to guard this place and create a plan for the oil firm’s exit. I feel that’s way more fascinating, as a result of the “no” vote has been — you already know, there’s been a very, actually arduous marketing campaign from Luisa González’s facet and her occasion and her workforce.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, you are taking the alternative place, simply to be clear, with the “sure” and the “no” vote. What elements are capable of be exploited by petroleum firm, Helena?
HELENA GUALINGA: Sadly, throughout the Yasuní Nationwide Park, there are — in addition to this, the one which’s known as Yasuní-ITT, which was in query on this explicit referendum, there are nonetheless eight oil blocks which might be energetic. And, I suppose, subsequent to them, there are 13 — or, exterior of the nationwide park, there are 13 oil blocks which might be nonetheless being exploited.
Yesterday we received the information that Huaorani youth, that often their — I suppose, their faculty charges and college charges receives a commission by the oil firm, now they’re not getting paid by the oil firm, or their faculty charges —
AMY GOODMAN: We’ve 10 seconds.
HELENA GUALINGA: — scholarships — their scholarships should not getting — you already know, they’re not being coated by the oil corporations anymore, regardless that throughout the Huaorani territory there are nonetheless 10 oil blocks. So, there was a variety of confusion on why the provinces the place there are oil blocks truly had been the one ones that voted in opposition to this, the place that they had a majority of —
AMY GOODMAN: Helena, we’re going to go away it there, however we’re going to proceed after, the post-show, with an interview in Spanish. Helena Gualinga, talking to us from Ecuador. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
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