00:00Did you know that the Prosecutor's Office is investigating one of the country's most important companies for alleged environmental damage?
00:05This is Terpel, the second largest company in the country, according to the Superintendency of Companies, and which has more
00:11of 3,000 employees.
00:12The investigation revolves around the La Fortuna plant, located in Barranca Bermeja,
00:17which, apparently, had spilled hydrocarbons in a key area of the city.
00:22According to local fishermen, the company has been polluting the San Silvestre marsh for years.
00:27the main source of water for more than 200,000 people in that municipality of Santander.
00:31The investigative unit of El Espectador learned that, between February and July of this year,
00:35The Prosecutor's Office reactivated a case that had been open for nearly a decade.
00:39As part of the proceedings, investigators specializing in crimes against natural resources
00:44They interviewed nine fishermen, collected water samples, and summoned senior Terpel officials for questioning.
00:49According to sources from the Prosecutor's Office, as well as from the company itself, these proceedings will remain confidential.
00:54while the investigating body makes a substantive decision on the case file.
00:58Fishermen claim to have seen a black layer of hydrocarbons on the Ciénaga for years.
01:03as well as the death of fish, turtles, birds and even manatees, a species that is in danger of extinction.
01:10They also reported that the water in the Ciénaga was no longer suitable for consumption.
01:13and that many families began to suffer health problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin diseases.
01:19Furthermore, they claim that the pollution drastically reduced fishing, affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of families.
01:24One of them even claimed that in the region the fish is called oil fish.
01:29due to the alleged traces of hydrocarbons it would contain.
01:31All the testimonies known to this newspaper point to the La Fortuna plant as the origin of these spills.
01:37However, that is precisely one of the hypotheses that the Prosecutor's Office will now have to verify.
01:42through technical tests and documentation collected during these months.
01:46For its part, Terpel assured us that the plant has environmental certifications.
01:50and that he provided all the information requested by the Prosecutor's Office
01:53to demonstrate the application of their environmental and contingency protocols.
01:58The company also told us that the recorded incidents have been isolated.
02:02and that they were reported in a timely manner to the authorities and that their impacts were mitigated.
02:07He also noted that the sanctioning process carried out by the Regional Autonomous Corporation
02:11The investigation into these events is pending a ruling.
02:14This newspaper also learned that the Prosecutor's Office collected information from the Health Secretariat of Barranca Bermeja,
02:19in the UMATA and other public entities.
02:21For what purpose?
02:23To establish the extent of the potential environmental damage
02:26suffered by the San Silvestre Swamp
02:28and determine if there is criminal liability on the part of Terpel.
02:31To learn more about this report,
02:33We invite you to cite the investigative section on elespectador.com
02:36And don't forget to follow us on our social media.
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