Nancy Barba and Ciciela Mercado, the only two female park rangers within the Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Area (AMNI), live in constant intimidation by the director of the area, Juan Luis Adriazolaaccording to information from a member of the Bolivian Association of Park Rangers Conservation Agents (Abolac).
According to the informant, the contracts of the park rangers, who have more than 10 years of experience in the area, they were renewed only for three monthswhile that of his male colleagues were renewed for the entire year.
“The director of Sernap (Teodoro Mamani) said that all park rangers were rehired for the whole year, however, that is a lie. Their contracts were only for three months and it is known that the director of the area (Juan Luis Adriázola) wants to remove them,” said the Abolac source.
In addition, he indicated that the park rangers are in the sights of the director, since he had already sent numerous memorandums against them and even opened an administrative process against Barba for having a relative who also works at Sernap, since both joined 10 years ago through a public call.
environmental activist, Erika Bayá expressed that Adriazola is “looking for reasons to get rid of the park rangers, perhaps because they have denounced irregular events that occur within the area that interfere with their personal interests”.
Bayá indicated that Adriázola was director of the area during the Government of Evo Morales, however, when Jeanine Áñez took office, he was removed and re-entered during the Government of Luis Arce. In his first management, he assures that signed a 10-year agreement with the Mutún steel plant and authorized high-tonnage dump trucks to cross more than 100 kilometers within the areaHowever, when it was withdrawn, the contract was annulled, since it did not have an environmental impact study.
“When Nancy warns that the trucks continue to go down the same road, instead of congratulating her for doing her job well, he decides to make war on her because it intervenes against their interests”, questioned Bayá.
The activist stated that within the system of protected areas there are only 17 female park rangers among the approximately 300 officials that make up the protection bodyand regretted that the Otuquis women are suffering discrimination and constant mistreatment by the director of the protected area and that the Sernap leadership does not defend them.
The Network of Women in Conservation corroborated this situation and recalled that Something similar happened with the former head of protection of the Beni Biological Station Biosphere Reserve, Carola Vaca, who, before resigning, made a series of complaints that revealed strong pressure towards the forest guardians, especially speaking about workplace harassment and gender violence.
For his part, the director of the Otuquis National Park, Juan Luis Adriázola, in a brief contact with EL DEBER, indicated that “The central unit is the one that has to provide the information” and before ending the communication, he assured that he is not the one who decides the duration of the contracts, but the human resources department of Sernap.
EL DEBER also searched for the version of the director of Sernap, Teodoro Mamani, but so far no response has been received.
Nancy Barba and Ciciela Mercado, the only two female park rangers within the Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Area (AMNI), live in constant intimidation by the director of the area, Juan Luis Adriazolaaccording to information from a member of the Bolivian Association of Park Rangers Conservation Agents (Abolac).
According to the informant, the contracts of the park rangers, who have more than 10 years of experience in the area, they were renewed only for three monthswhile that of his male colleagues were renewed for the entire year.
“The director of Sernap (Teodoro Mamani) said that all park rangers were rehired for the whole year, however, that is a lie. Their contracts were only for three months and it is known that the director of the area (Juan Luis Adriázola) wants to remove them,” said the Abolac source.
In addition, he indicated that the park rangers are in the sights of the director, since he had already sent numerous memorandums against them and even opened an administrative process against Barba for having a relative who also works at Sernap, since both joined 10 years ago through a public call.
environmental activist, Erika Bayá expressed that Adriazola is “looking for reasons to get rid of the park rangers, perhaps because they have denounced irregular events that occur within the area that interfere with their personal interests”.
Bayá indicated that Adriázola was director of the area during the Government of Evo Morales, however, when Jeanine Áñez took office, he was removed and re-entered during the Government of Luis Arce. In his first management, he assures that signed a 10-year agreement with the Mutún steel plant and authorized high-tonnage dump trucks to cross more than 100 kilometers within the areaHowever, when it was withdrawn, the contract was annulled, since it did not have an environmental impact study.
“When Nancy warns that the trucks continue to go down the same road, instead of congratulating her for doing her job well, he decides to make war on her because it intervenes against their interests”, questioned Bayá.
The activist stated that within the system of protected areas there are only 17 female park rangers among the approximately 300 officials that make up the protection bodyand regretted that the Otuquis women are suffering discrimination and constant mistreatment by the director of the protected area and that the Sernap leadership does not defend them.
The Network of Women in Conservation corroborated this situation and recalled that Something similar happened with the former head of protection of the Beni Biological Station Biosphere Reserve, Carola Vaca, who, before resigning, made a series of complaints that revealed strong pressure towards the forest guardians, especially speaking about workplace harassment and gender violence.
For his part, the director of the Otuquis National Park, Juan Luis Adriázola, in a brief contact with EL DEBER, indicated that “The central unit is the one that has to provide the information” and before ending the communication, he assured that he is not the one who decides the duration of the contracts, but the human resources department of Sernap.
EL DEBER also searched for the version of the director of Sernap, Teodoro Mamani, but so far no response has been received.
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