Indigenous peoples of the Amazon region released tourists held hostage

This action was in protest of the lack of government support following the oil spill in the region.

We want to draw the government’s attention to this measure. There were foreigners and Peruvians, about 70 people, said Watson Trujillo, leader of the Koninico community, to a local radio station while the hostage situation was still going on.

A total of 23 foreign nationals They were on board, the vast majority of tourists were from the USA, Spain, France, Great Britain and Switzerland. There were also women and children in the group, who had to spend the night on the riverboat they were traveling in when they were captured.

Officials said early in the morning, local time, that the hostages would be released in the afternoon, which should have happened according to the Associated Press.

Trujillo said the goal is to put pressure on the government, which wants to investigate environmental damage after 2,500 tons of crude oil spilled from a pipeline and spilled into the Koninico River in September.

– Trujillo said people are being forced to drink contaminated water and eat fish without the care of the authorities, and he mentioned that more than 80 communities have been affected and that the only thing they can do is “take matters into their own hands”.

No Peruvian government Or the police commented on the hostage drama.

The 80-mile oil pipeline is owned by state-owned Petroperu and has been built to transport crude oil from the riverine region to the coastal city of Piura.