colombia: strengthening resistance to spanish corporate monopolies
In Colombia, the abuse of power by subsidiaries of the Spanish energy giant Union Fenosa has mainly affected communities with scarce economic resources on the Caribbean coast. The subsidiary companies —Electricaribe, Electrocosta y Energía Social — have continuously increased energy service costs, violated labour legislation, and co-opted social leadership. Yet the communities affected are determined to resist the current political and economical model, which prioritizes profits over fundamental rights.
Friends of the Earth Colombia / CENSAT Agua Viva has focused on raising awareness in affected areas of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, aiming to foster communities’ ability to organize and defend their fundamental rights. As a result, communities have stronger willingness and determination to resist, and proposals to recover peoples' sovereignty and promote sustainable alternatives have gained prominence.
what happened: FoE Colombia began by assessing and exposing how Spanish transnational corporations (TNCs) operate in Colombia’s energy sector, and their impacts on people's lives. In reality, the living standards of the so-called “beneficiaries” of the companies’ services are worsening every day. A rich and ancient culture is being undermined, threatened and eroded by projects that commodify life and nature.
Within the framework of a capacity-building process, informal meetings were held with affected communities. Legal and policy arguments were shared with them, to support their demand for enforcement of their fundamental rights under Colombia’s constitution. As a result, people felt better able to resist and become active in exposing — nationally and internationally — the illegal and illegitimate actions of TNCs and the government. At the same time, those defending corporate interests have become alarmed about how this might affect such activities in other Colombian regions.
As part of FoE Colombia’s efforts, the case of Union Fenosa was presented before the Peoples' Permanent Tribunal in Lima, in May 2008. Their goal was to connect efforts of people across Latin America affected by the same corporation, in a bid to regain public control over fundamental services such as energy and water supply.
Taking the case beyond the country's borders also had benefits nationally, showing how the various communities’ struggles are not isolated, nor without grounds. Their voices gained national and international strength, contrary to the image portrayed by corporations. More specifically, the image of Union Fenosa has been unmasked in several fora, creating a picture at odds with its recent Corporate Social Responsibility award for creating the Social Energy Company.
what we learned: It is clear that the current threat from TNCs on the Caribbean coast will expand to Colombia’s other regions. Those participating became aware of the urgent need to link the specific struggle to defend access to water and water services to the wider struggle to reclaim the public character of energy services and meet the public’s energy needs.
what next: As the public movements on water and energy services continue to gain strength in Latin America, it is vital to nurture the links between them, in the wider effort to guarantee peoples’ sovereignty and rights. It is furthermore crucial to link up campaigns taking place in different countries, to expose the impacts of certain corporate players, such as Union Fenosa, Iberdrola or ENDESA, and to confront their power. It is also important to focus the harsh light of reality on the image of these TNCs, to counteract their “greenwash” on corporate social responsibility.
with thanks to our funders: the dutch ministry of foreign affairs
