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The USO has jumped on board with a theory that the government is working behind the scenes to create a scenario that would favor the sale of Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) to private individuals and companies and ruin local economies.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) gave a summary of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in Arauca and Casanare, while Amerisur participated in a program that converted families growing coca to pepper crops after 24 years of illicit farming. These and other stories in our regular round up of CSR related stories.

Now two years into the General Royalty System (SGR) the flaws and needed adjustments are clear, and the system must be tweaked to meet the intentions that it had during its conception says Senator Marítza Martínez

The Casanare Government Secretary Marlene Gutiérrez Oropeza said that the Interior Ministry has agreed to a “working road map” to deal with the controversial issue of Community Action Committees and their role in the hiring of local labor.

The president of the Colombian Federation of Municipalities (Fedemunicipios) is concerned about the effect of falling oil prices and what that means for municipal budgets. But royalty distribution and the national government’s ability to use falling prices as a negotiating tool are also high on his list of concerns.

The USO held a number of activities to draw attention to third party outsourcing and the suspension of contracts, as the union looks to increase pressure on the NOC to limit the use of contractors.

The Minister of mines and Energy (MinMinas) Tomás González paid a visit to Yopal, Casanare and outlined the root causes of the drop in oil prices, and also talked about exploration plans to grow reserves and production.

Perenco said last week that it would shut down its operations in Aguazul after three months of blockades from the Tesoro Bubuy village. The action apparently was enough to bring the community to the table and lift the blockades, although talks still remain.

The UTEN Hidrocarburos union, which accounts for the ranks of Pacific Rubiales (NYSE:EC), has marked three years of peaceful relations with the company and community in Colombia’s largest oil field, Rubiales.

In Casanare transportation companies have formed a group of committees to better organize the industry, in Huila accidents and congestion due to tankers have declined while road and bridge repairs took place in Casanare, Boyacá and Norte de Santander.