Colombia does not allow you to explore and exploit oil and gas in San Andres Island

The president Juan Manuel Santos, said he would not allow it to carry out exploration activities and exploitation of oil and gas in the Caribbean archipelago of San Andres and Providencia, to not compromise its environmental value, social and cultural development.
"I want, all the inhabitants of San Andres and Providencia, the notice and give them that assurance that there will be no such exploration and exploitation," the president said in his weekly national outreach "Agreements for Prosperity", which this Saturday was held in San Andrés.

Santos explained that this decision is based on the archipelago is a biosphere reserve and home to a "significant" ecological heritage, social and cultural development should be preserved carefully.

In 2010 the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) brought to auction 78 blocks for exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, among which two are located in San Andres and were awarded to the Spanish Repsol-YPF, Argentina and Ecopetrol.

Since that time there was a barrage of criticism operating rejected because it threatened the longest barrier reef in the archipelago and the second largest in the hemisphere.

Even the United Nations warned that the effects of a possible oil spill in San Andres and Providencia would be worse than those resulting from the accident and subsequent release on April 20, 2010 in a well operated by BP in the Gulf of Mexico.

Santos recalled that since taking office took into account the concern for oil activities in the Caribbean archipelago located off the coast of Nicaragua, so he decided to look into the matter with the Ministries of Environment and Mines and Energy.

The experts at the commission evaluated the arguments for and against and reached consensus rule exploration and exploitation of oil and gas.

Santos said that the companies had been awarded the exploration block and were informed and invited to find oil elsewhere.

"They understand very well that this is a decision that has some priorities," Santos concluded.