Original article: “No podemos quedarnos en silencio”: convocan marcha nacional por la defensa ambiental ante “graves retrocesos” del Gobierno de Kast
“We Cannot Remain Silent”, warn the organizations forming the National Ecologist Assembly alongside student collectives, as they call on all of Chile to mobilize this Saturday, August 15, in defense of the Earth and its animals.
The call for the “March for Our Environment and the Animals of Chile” arises in response to what these groups label as “serious environmental setbacks” driven by the administration of José Antonio Kast, whose agenda they claim jeopardizes the protection of ecosystems and native wildlife.
“In light of the severe environmental regression we are experiencing, where José Antonio Kast’s government is directly opposing environmental protection, we cannot remain silent”, they stated in a declaration shared on social media.
The catalyst for this national mobilization is a series of measures and cuts introduced by the far-right president, which demonstrate a clear hostility towards the environment. Among the most critical points, they highlight that the government has yet to reinstate all 43 environmental decrees removed at the start of its term, and they raise concerns about a new plan allowing the hunting of sea lions to benefit salmon farming and industrial dragnet fishing.
Moreover, there is a proposal to create a State Pollution Insurance, a mechanism that they argue would compel the state to pay hefty fines to companies penalized by Environmental Courts, effectively shifting the cost of ecosystem destruction to taxpayers.
Organizations Warn That “Ecosystems and Wildlife in Chile Are in Grave Danger”
In the statement, the organizations emphasized that “ecosystems and wildlife in Chile are in grave danger”, warning that the current development model is leading the country towards ecological collapse. The expansion of rare earth mining in the South, the destruction of wetlands causing floods, and the forest fires linked to the so-called “Fire Cartel” and forestry companies are part of a critical scenario.
They concluded, “This form of progress is going to end up killing us”, while insisting that there is still an opportunity to halt the advancing agenda of Kast.
“There are many reasons for us to mobilize in defense of our environment and our animals, especially since this government believes it can dismantle Chile and give it to the highest bidder,” they stated.
The march, which will be peaceful, will have its meeting point at the Universidad Católica Metro station in Santiago.
The organizations indicated that so far, communes from Santiago, Rancagua, La Serena, Iquique, and Coyhaique have joined this mobilization. However, they hope more regions will join in the coming days.
The slogans of the march are clear: Save the sea lions, No to the State Insurance for Pollution, No to greyhound racing, Save Alto Maule, Save the Humboldt penguin, Defend wetlands, Save Chile’s seeds, No to rare earth mega-mining, Defend Patagonia, No to mega-reforms, No to the Fire Cartel, Ban dragnet fishing, among others.
*Featured image: Guillermo Correa Camiroaga/ El Clarín.
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