Indigenous Group Refuses to Abandon Pluspetrol Installments

A group of citizens from the indigenous communities of the Río Corrientes basin in Peru's Loreto department has refused to abandon Argentine oil company Pluspetrol's installments on blocks 1AB and 8.

The inhabitants have remained on Pluspetrol's complexes despite a ministerial resolution passed Sunday to implement agreements reached between Pluspetrol and Corrientes community members, the energy and mines ministry (MEM) said in a statement.

The occupation is paralyzing Pluspetrol's operations in the blocks.

In addition, the protests raise the possibility of a fuel shortage in Iquitos and Loreto department, and also "puts the integrity of the people and the solution to the local populations' demands at risk," the statement said.

Pluspetrol in August produced 29,592b/d of hydrocarbons liquids on block 1AB and 17,839b/d in block 8, according to ministry figures.

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