Despite the escalation of violence against environmental leaders, the National Government is not promoting the Escazú Agreement

Senator Jorge Eduardo Londoño Ulloa, spoke on W Radio's microphones about the environmental situation in the country and the importance of ratifying the Escazú Agreement. Although the National Government has affirmed that it is committed to the environment, the dynamics implemented in response to this legislation leave it between said what exposed by Iván Duque, who, a few months after leaving office, leaves the signing of the agreement hanging by a thread.

The presentation of this agreement in the Senate has been constantly extended, despite the opposition's insistence on its approval and socialization, senators such as Iván Cepeda, Feliciano Valencia and Antonio Sanguino, have indicated that the Duque government wants to entangle the implementation of the project, even knowing the vitality that it has for Colombia.

On the subject, Senator Londoño said: “We, through a debate of political control, in quotation marks motivated and forced the minister and deputy minister of the environment, to commit to a date, within which they would make the bill to ratify the Escazú Agreement be presented, it was done on the 30th of October of last year, but as on other occasions, nothing has happened, I understand that they made a positive paper for discussion in the Fifth Committee of the Senate of the Republic, but nothing has been done yet, it has not yet been debated”.

In turn, the lobbyist stressed that there is no political will on the part of the National Government for the execution of the project, since it indicates that other issues are prioritized, leaving as an example the approval of the change of the law on guarantees, which, despite being unconstitutional, was approved according to him, therefore, the senator demonstrates a high concern, at the lack of diligence in matters affecting society as a whole and jeopardizing the future of the country.

Throwing darts at the current government, Londoño Ulloa said: “You can easily see that what does not exist is political will, because in a form of presidential government like ours, what the president wants to be approved in congress is approved, because he has the majorities and through different practices they pass laws, laws such as an unconstitutional law changing the law of guarantees, if such a law was passed, how can it not be possible that a law that ratified the Escazú Agreement has been passed”.

It is important to bear in mind that the Escazú Agreement commits several nations with regard to environmental competences, different countries have signed the project, but its internal implementation has been postponed, the most notable recent case is that of Chile, which in the government of Sebastián Piñera had delayed negotiation of the same and with the arrival of Gabriel Boric to the presidency, the draft was sent to the congress for ratification.

Despite the insistence from various committees of the senate, Londoño points out that he is pessimistic about the decision taken by Iván Duque, since he believes that if it depends on this government and the legislature itself, it will be difficult for the agreement to be approved and socialized in the territories, despite the degree of importance of it, since it allows the access to information, citizen participation and the defense of human rights in environmental matters, highlighting the prevalence of social leaders working in this context. In the midst of his pessimism and uncertainty, the senator clarified: “Regarding this government, I do not think that the agreement will be approved, there are many actors who are against its ratification, the National Union Council, for example, where there are about 26 sectors that do not like the Escazú Agreement, which is why it is necessary to choose a government alternative that is more sensitive to these environmental issues”.

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