QUITO (Reuters) – An indigenous community in Ecuador’s Amazon region ended a weeks-long protest affecting production at two oil blocks belonging to state-run energy company Petroecuador, the company said on Wednesday.
The Waorani community of Dikaro, in Ecuador’s Orellana province, set up roadblocks on Christmas Day, demanding reparations from the company for what it said was environmental and social damage caused by the oil drilling, as well as more services from authorities and consultation from the government.
Petroecuador took over the two oil blocks at the beginning of the year, after Canadian firm New Stratus Energy returned its concessions following a spat with the government.
The protest was lifted after several days of talks, Petroecuador said, without specifying what conditions were agreed upon for the community to end its demonstration.
Petroecuador said on Saturday that the Waorani community had shut off a valve as part of the protest, causing an estimated loss of around 3,500 barrels of oil per day (bpd). The community denied it had shut off a valve.
In January, the blocks saw an output of around 14,036 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day.
“The lifting of the protest is expected to gradually allow oil production to recover for the benefit of all Ecuadoreans,” the state oil company said in a statement.
The Waorani community says the oil blocks fall within their territory. Petroecuador says complaints from the Waorani community began before it took over the blocks.
Community leaders could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sandra Maler)
