Today, Fundación Pachamama, our sister organization in Quito through which we’ve carried out our work since 1997, held a public event to officially close after exhausting all legal appeals in Ecuador. Despite this, the work of The Pachamama Alliance continues. Here’s the news from Ecuador:
Press Release
Fundación Pachamama Provided an Account of Its Work of 17 Years to Benefit the Country
Quito, July 17, 2014. Fundación Pachamama today held an event to provide an accountability report on its management for 17 years working in Ecuador. This after the Ecuadorian State confirmed the closure and dissolution of the organization through the ratification of the judgment by the Provincial Court of Pichincha, and after all measures within Ecuador to prevent its closure were exhausted.
"During these 17 years we have worked with high level professionals who have provided invaluable ways to work for the rights of nature. We have supported more than 1,500 communities and directly thousands of beneficiaries, "said Belén Páez, president of Fundación Pachamama.
The aim of the event was to address the public, friends, partners, donors and recipients to be accountable for work performed, which was characterized as transparent, peaceful and as an independent, non-partisan political organization, not in opposition to any government and which believed in the partnership between civil society and the state.
"We take pride in our work, each project has meant a contribution to the country, such as our advocacy for the rights of nature to be recognized in the Constitution, the solar transportation project in the Amazon, the defense of the people of Sarayacu through guidance and advocacy for those affected by the oil company Chevron, among other achievements, "added Páez.
The organization has received the support of international organizations, having exposed the issue in the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Commission on Human Rights of the UN and the European Commission.
