Colombia president gets fine, house arrest for failure to protect Los Nevados National Park News
sebadelval / Pixabay
Colombia president gets fine, house arrest for failure to protect Los Nevados National Park

The Superior Court of Ibagué Saturday ordered Colombian President Ivan Duque to be arrested, fined 15 minimum wages (approximately USD $3,900), and placed under house arrest for five for failure to comply with a previous court ruling to protect Los Nevados National Park.

Specifically, the Colombian government has failed to comply with the creation of a Special Command of the Public Force for environmental crimes committed in Los Nevados National Park. Los Nevados National Park was declared a subject of rights by the Supreme Court last November. The Supreme Court urged “the Colombian authorities to elaborate a plan to protect and conserve the complex, in addition to forming a Special Command of the Public Force to fight environmental crimes in this place.”

Duque wrote on social media that he has protected Colombia’s natural resources and declared the Court’s decision “not only unconstitutional but [also] not firm.” Additionally, he wrote “[i]f there’s one thing I’m proud of, it’s that I’ve made strides in protecting our biodiversity.”