Ariel Robles, deputy of the Frente Amplio, denounced the Costa Rican State before the Ramsar Convention for alleged illegal actions committed in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge in Talamanca. The wetland was declared internationally important in 1995, a designation given because of its biological richness and the fact that the area serves as a refuge for a significant number of seasonal migratory waterfowl.
According to the complaint filed by Robles, the State would be responsible for allowing a complete lack of control, illegal logging, and the draining of wetlands in Gandoca. This has also been denounced by the Congressman on several occasions. In a press release, Ariel Robles pointed out that the main irregularities are related to the reduction of the protected area’s boundaries without technical studies, non-compliance with the delimitation and conservation of wetlands, the issuance of logging permits in sensitive areas, and the absence of clear measures to guarantee the site’s protection.
Robles also stated that this complaint was filed to safeguard biodiversity and ensure compliance with international agreements. The Congressman requested an “exhaustive” review of the current situation of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Ramsar Site, “investigating irregularities related to the reduction of its boundaries, alteration of technical information, and possible non-compliance with established procedures.”
He called for corrective measures to be taken by the Costa Rican government to guarantee the integral conservation of the site and to comply with the guidelines of the Ramsar Convention. Robles denounced that the Costa Rican State is not complying with its obligations, particularly with what is established by the international convention, and is not acting adequately to preserve such an important wildlife refuge.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the defense of natural resources, biodiversity, and the environmental rights of local communities,” said the legislator. The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, which aims at the conservation and wise use of wetlands worldwide. Costa Rica has been a party since 1992 and has 12 Ramsar sites.
