Barro Blanco agreement signed

THE ANTICIPATED closing of the Bridge of the Americas by indigenous protesters on Monday August 10 was a non event as President Juan Carlos Varela and Vice President Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado met with leaders of the Comarca Ngäbe Buglé at the Palacio de Las Garzas and agreed to create a new technical commission responsible for the Barro Blanco hydroelectric project.

The agreement was signed this afternoon by Varela and Saint Malo de Alvarado, and Ngäbe Buglé Chief Silvia Carrera.
The agreement focused on the creation of a team to study stabilizing the project to prevent it from impacting nearby communities. It would also continue the dialogue on the viability and feasibility of the project reports La Prensa.
The indigenous authorities and the government agreed to accept the results and conclusions of the task force, and to use them as a basis for decisions on the future of the project.
The government committed to not flooding the reservoir or to initiate operations of the project until a final agreement has been reached between the parties.