Colombia revokes shielding of the Amazon and allows mining and oil exploitation

Published at: 09/11/2026 08:34 AM

The government of Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella annulled the resolution that protected the Amazon biome as a natural reserve free of concessions, once again allowing for the advancement of hydrocarbon extraction and megamining projects in the region. The measure has generated strong rejection from indigenous organizations, environmentalists and sectors of civil society, who warn of the irreversible impact on millions of hectares of virgin forest.

Telesur added that the federal administration defends the legal review of administrative acts of the past administration, climate change specialists warn that making safeguards more flexible in such a fragile ecosystem accelerates its approach to the point of no ecological return. For their part, ancestral communities denounce institutional neglect and demand respect for their territorial autonomies in the face of pressure from extractive corporations.

In this regard, environmental rights defenders and community leaders speak out against the decision: “The easing of extractive restrictions jeopardizes the survival of the continent's most important biome and ignores the historical rights of the peoples who protect it.”

Various social movements and citizen platforms have announced formal petitions and mobilizations to demand the immediate restoration of legal frameworks that curb oil and mining exploitation in the Colombian Amazon.

Mazo News Team