Local January 23, 2020 | 8:07 am

Battle looms over Dominican Republic’s biggest national park

Caldera, Cotubanama

Santo Domingo.- The Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas announced on Wednesday that it will act in a radical manner to prevent the Globalia group, owned by Spanish mogul Pepe Hidalgo, from building a tourism project in the Guaraguao-Punta Catuano, in Cotubanamá National Park, located in Dominican Republic’s southeast.

The environmentalists’ warning comes after the project’s construction started in the park, where heavy equipment and workers are already at the site. Cotubanama, which includes Isla Saona, is the country’s biggest national park

Kelvin Antonio Guerrero, of Ecoparque, speaking on behalf of the environmental movements, said the permit granted to Hidalgo by Environment Minister, Angel Estévez, violates the statutes.

“Cotubanamá National Park, the only protected area in the entire East, is a climate regulator. Building in the area would bring very negative consequences that we could later regret. Look at all the forest fires that are happening in other countries, it is due to bad decisions.”

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