On August 16, PBI-Colombia posted:
“In the village of Campo Gala #Barrancabermeja accompanying @Credhos_Paz [the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights] and @CanadayColombia [the Canadian Embassy in Colombia] at a meeting with #Fedepesan [the Federation of Artisanal Fishermen of Santander] and #LosCogollos to talk about the effects that those who are dedicated to artisanal fishing are experiencing in #MagdalenaMedio and find focused environmental measures.”
CREDHOS also posted:
“Begins visit of the embassy of @CanadayColombia in #Barrancabermeja meeting with #MesaHumanitaria [humanitarian table] of #MagdalenaMedio analysis of the human rights situation and environmental effects in the region.”
“Today we toured the San Silvestre Swamp telling the @CanadayColombia embassy from the voice of the fishermen and environmental leaders of @Fedepesan about the various effects on water and fauna by individuals and @EcopetrolMag.”
Canadian financing impacts the San Silvestre wetlands
The Banking on Climate Chaos website reveals Toronto-based Scotiabank’s investments in Ecopetrol. Scotiabank provided USD $665 million to Ecopetrol in 2018, another $666.67 million in 2020, and $1.7 billion in 2021 for a total of $3.0 billion in financing.
Bronwen Tucker of Oil Change International also shared on a PBI-Canada organized webinar this slide of the top recipients of Export Development Canada (EDC) financing in Colombia between 2012 and 2020.
In January 2016, Toronto-based Brookfield bought a majority share (57.6 per cent) in the Colombian power generation and distribution company Isagen. One of the dams Brookfield bought through its majority share in Isagen is the Sogamoso Hydroelectric Dam which is located 30 kilometres west of Bucaramanga.
In March 2020, El Espectador published this article titled Community denounces fish and bird deaths in Barrancabermeja.
That article notes: “The fishermen of the San Silvestre spout, in Santander, denounce that since the middle of February there is a fish mortality in the place. According to them, this emergency is due to the fact that Isagen, a company in charge of the Sogamoso dam, opened the floodgates to feed the river that bears the same name.”
PBI-Canada visit to the San Silvestre wetlands, June 2022
On June 30, 2022, CREDHOS and FEDEPESAN took PBI-Colombia and PBI-Canada on a tour of the San Silvestre wetlands.
PBI-Canada webinar with CREDHOS and FEDEPESAN, December 2022
On December 7, 2022, we hosted this webinar with CREDHOS and FEDEPESAN to further amplify their concerns about the San Silvestre wetlands.
PBI-Colombia has accompanied the Regional Corporation in the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) since 1994.
