Sergio Rojas, from the Qom Indigenous community, reflects on his childhood amidst the destructive deforestation of Argentina's Gran Chaco, driven by cattle ranching and agriculture. He describes the ecological impacts of bulldozers as they razed forests, forcing wildlife to flee. The Gran Chaco, which boasts rich biodiversity, faces critical threats, prompting Rojas to declare the situation an ecocide. A report by Global Witness highlights how the Spanish bank Santander indirectly funds this deforestation via investments in agribusiness groups like Cresud, which has deforested large tracts of land, exacerbating the crisis faced by Indigenous communities and the local environment.
Sergio Rojas warns, "We are witnessing an ecocide... this has to stop now because otherwise, there won't be anything left. Nobody is doing anything... only the Indigenous communities."
According to Global Witness, Santander has been indirectly supporting deforestation in the Gran Chaco by investing in the agribusiness group Cresud, which has cleared significant hectares.
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