Since May the peace talks in Havana have yet to render any solid agreements, but this week Farc and government negotiators announced common ground on the second of five agenda points: political participation.
Inhabitants near municipalities of Castilla La Nueva, Acacías and Castilla say that Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) crude processing station Chichimene continues to contaminate their water supply while the NOC says its addressing the situation.
The Governor of the Meta Department Alan Jara told local press that the department, along with other oil producing regions, have lost autonomy under the new royalty system and are not benefiting from the industry’s activities.
The vice president of the USO’s Meta chapter, Dario Cardenas Pachon, was arrested on November 2 on a warrant connected to alleged crimes during protests, and the union says that its part of a wide reaching plot between oil companies and public services against its activities.
The National Registry has set a December 15th date for a public referendum in the Tauramena municipality to accept or reject oil production in parts of the community. The authority also confirmed the exact wording of the questions, which links the issue to local water issues.
Following a debate in Colombia’s Senate on royalties, the country’s Finance Minister Mauricio Cárdenas told press that the government would increase the resources available by CoP$1.5T (US$795M), but did not address structural and implementation concerns.
Colombia’s Labor Ministry absolved Pacific Rubiales (NYSE:PRE) of any wrongdoing against claims from the Oil Workers Union (USO) that it had engaged in anti-union practices and fired employees for their union activity.
The recent green light to hold a popular vote in the municipality of Tauramena, Casanare, is making waves in the community and the local paper published an opinion piece calling for oil companies and contractors to demonstrate good practices in environmental matters, or face the consequences of community or legal action.
Small diameter pipeline operator Raven held a socialization session with municipal leaders in Paz de Ariporo to detail the advances in the environmental permitting process of the Llanos Express Pipeline (OXL) and discuss points of interest with the community.
The USO returned to an ongoing dispute with two of the largest oilfield service suppliers, Weatherford (NYSE:WFT) and Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), the union has accused both firms of anti-union practices and said legal and popular protest are an option.
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