In a historic decision, Ecuadorians voted on Sunday against the oil drilling of a protected area in the Amazon that is home to two uncontacted tribes and serves as a biodiversity hotspot.
With more than 90% of the ballots counted by early Monday, about six in 10 Ecuadorians rejected the oil exploration in the Block 44 area, situated within Yasuní national park, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The area is inhabited by the Tagaeri and Taromenane, who live in self-isolation.
In 1989, Yasuní was designated a world biosphere reserve by Unesco. It covers more than 1m hectares (2.5m acres) and is home to 610 species of birds, 139 species of amphibians and 121 species of reptiles. At least three species there are endemic.
The outcome represents a significant blow to the Ecuadorian president, Guillermo Lasso, who advocated for oil drilling, asserting that its revenues were crucial to the country’s economy. As a result of the vote, state oil company Petroecuador will be required to dismantle its operations there.
The referendum took place alongside the presidential election, which will be decided in a runoff between the leftist candidate Luisa González and the rightwing contender Daniel Noboa. The country is experiencing political turmoil after the assassination of one of the candidates, Fernando Villavicencio, on 9 August.