After twelve days of protest by the community of El Valle, municipality of Bahía Solano, the national government announced that today it is sending a delegation to find a solution.
On March 27, more than 300 inhabitants of the El Valle corregimiento took over the Utría National Natural Park as a protest against the national government’s non-compliance with the agreement signed with the director of the National Risk and Disaster Unit on December 26, 2022. , related to defense works, including a retaining wall, to prevent the destruction of more homes along the Valle River.
The Valle River has been changing its course and has destroyed 97 homes. The protection works that have been agreed seek to redirect the Valle River to its old channel and protect this important township.
“We take over the Utría National Natural Park until the national government complies with the agreement. We are not going to allow our corregimiento to disappear,” said one of the leaders of the civic committee.
“A retaining wall must be built soon and hydraulic works must be carried out to redirect the river to its original channel. If we don’t do it, in less than a year the corregimiento of El Valle will disappear,” he added.
The Environment Minister, Susana Muhamad, announced yesterday that a government delegation will travel to Bahía Solano today to hold a dialogue with the community.
“It must be said that there are valid claims, but there is no justification for pressure on the Government to have to do with the destruction of nature. That is unacceptable and has consequences,” said Minister Muhamad.