Ecuador’s citizens voted to stop oil drilling in heart of Amazon. A year later, it hasn’t happened

Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Voters in Ecuador last year approved a referendum to keep some 700 million barrels of crude oil in the ground in Yasuni National Park. When they did it, they were intent on protecting a haven for biodiversity and a home for Indigenous peoples in the heart of Ecuador’s share of the Amazon. But a year later, the government hasn’t moved to end drilling by the state-run oil company. What’s more, they’ve requested at least a five-year extension to do so. Experts say a year wasn’t enough to wind down the drilling, and they also note how important oil is to a country dealing with economic and other problems. Indigenous leaders and rights groups say the inaction is a threat to Ecuador’s democracy.