Whistleblower Exposes Ecopetrol's Environmental Negligence and Threats to Activists

A whistleblower's disclosures about Ecopetrol have unveiled serious environmental issues linked to the company, including unreported oil spills and pollution affecting local ecosystems in Colombia. Amidst claims of serious misconduct, the safety of environmental activists fighting against such pollution comes under scrutiny.

Colombian energy giant Ecopetrol is facing allegations of significant pollution across numerous sites in the country. An investigation by the BBC World Service has gathered evidence indicating that the company has contaminated hundreds of locations, including vital water sources and rich biodiverse wetlands. A former employee at Ecopetrol, Andrés Olarte, has revealed a trove of internal records detailing over 800 instances of pollution between 1989 and 2018, many of which went unreported.

Olarte joined Ecopetrol as an adviser in 2017 and quickly grew concerned about the extent of oil contamination. After challenging management about "awful" pollution data, he left the company in 2019 and provided detailed evidence to the Environmental Investigation Agency and BBC. His disclosures highlighted alarming statistics, including many sites classified as having "unresolved environmental impacts,” which were not fully cleaned up for years.

While Ecopetrol maintains it complies with Colombian environmental laws and asserts it has robust sustainability practices, many locals, including members of the Barrancabermeja fishing community, dispute these claims. Describing horrifying scenes, local fisherman Yuly Velásquez recounted their struggle with the impacts of pollution on local wildlife, including sightings of dead manatees and other threatened species alongside contaminated fish.

The company’s main refinery, located near Barrancabermeja, plays a critical role in Colombia’s energy landscape, serving millions dependent on the Magdalena River. However, locals report a foul smell and visible oil contamination in fishing waters, leading to serious concerns for public health and biodiversity in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.

Despite attempts by local fishermen and activists to raise awareness, both Olarte and Velásquez say they have faced threats for their activism. Olarte received anonymous threats suggesting he was being targeted for filing complaints against Ecopetrol, while Velásquez and others reported similar intimidation tactics. Colombia has been labeled one of the deadliest countries for environmental defenders, with statistics from Global Witness highlighting the severe risks those challenging corruption and environmental negligence now face.

Ecopetrol’s former CEO Felipe Bayón rejected any notion suggesting a deliberate effort to conceal pollution, alleging that many spills result from sabotage by illegal armed groups, rather than corporate negligence. Nonetheless, an analysis of their internal databases reveals hundreds of oil spills have occurred consistently, indicating a persistent failure to mitigate environmental damage.

In describing the ongoing situation, Velásquez stated, “If we don’t report, we kill ourselves because all these incidents of heavy pollution are destroying the environment around us.” The debate over Ecopetrol’s environmental practices is ongoing, and those challenging the company are caught in a dangerous fight, balancing community livelihoods against the corporate imperative of oil production.

As the investigation continues, concerns mount regarding both the ecological impacts of pollution and the precarious situation faced by environmental defenders in Colombia.