Irene Vélez defends Santurbán meeting amid clandestine accusations

Colombia's Minister of Environment, Irene Vélez, has rejected claims that a recent meeting in Bucaramanga regarding the Santurbán páramo was clandestine. The meeting, held on July 9, drew criticism from community organizations who said it was closed-door and lacked public notice. Vélez responded on social media: 'La clandestinidad es para los ilegales. Nosotras somos Gobierno y hemos hecho de la participación y la transparencia un principio de gestión' Source: Infobae. She stated the visit was part of institutional duties related to ongoing judicial processes, including the delimitation of Santurbán ordered by Sentence T-361 of 2017 and a popular action to protect the high Andean forest Source: El Tiempo. The minister also noted that concerns about security for a upcoming consensus table on July 18-19 were raised by the Committee for the Defense of Water and the Santurbán Páramo, and will be assessed institutionally Source: El Tiempo. However, over 30 social organizations and 136 Community Action Boards criticized the lack of public participation, with Asomineros Vetas president Ivonne González calling for suspension of the table and vowing to take the case to national and international courts Source: El Tiempo. Vélez reaffirmed the government's commitment to transparency, water protection, and the Escazú Agreement Source: Infobae.