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The people of Cumaral said no to any oil activity in their territory. This decision has generated several opinions throughout Colombia.

Inhabitants of Cumaral (Meta) voted against the development of oil and gas projects in their territories and the results are quite similar to those of Camajarca. The community organized a popular referendum to stop Mansarovar’s projects in Cumaral.

The National Government plans to regulate popular referendums and prior consultations in Colombia. These actions have grown exponentially recently and have affected oil and mining projects.

In a press release, the NOC explained why environment and oil activities are compatible.

Popular referendums have grown exponentially in recent years in Colombia. Several municipalities plan to hold consultations to ban mining or oil activities in their territories.

After 10 days of strikes and blockades, and almost three days of negotiations, the communities of ‘El Centro’ and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) signed the agreement that allows the reactivation of activities at La Cira-Infantas field.

Even though Equión and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) showed their commitment to their areas of influence by developing social development programs, social protests against Pacific Rubiales (TSX: PEN) took place in Yopal, and protests to demand the modernization of Barrancabermeja’s Refinery are still going in that municipality. These and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) stories in our periodic summary.

The Union said that it will do whatever it takes to stop Tibu’s hospital privatization, and denounced the fact that Armed Forces ‘violently forced’ protesters to leave CABE’s facilities when they were peacefully demanding a better health system.

The ELN attacked the Coveñas Caño Limón pipeline three times during the past couple of months, generating irreparable damage in Norte de Santander’s rural municipalities. Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) says it responded to the incidents in a timely manner. The development of these and other stories in our periodic Eco Summary.

The NOC will develop different projects in Colombia’s territories, especially in the education sector where the ‘Zero Illiteracy’ program is taking place, and will soon develop a joint agreement with Santander’s University to boost the country’s regional human capital. These and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) stories in our periodic summary.