Following reflection on the interest in showing solidarity with the events of Standing Rock in the United States, COICA and AMPB decided to send one delegate each to show support for the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, which are against the construction of an oil pipeline. The people of the Amazon Summit realized that this was a clear example of how close the problem of indigenous peoples are, not only in the area of forests, but also in terms of territories.
As a result of this decision, Weaving Ties and PURPOSE began to actively collaborate in the sending of this delegation, composed by Cándido Mezúa from AMPB and Adolfo Chávez from COICA. The decision forced Weaving Ties’ team to make very quick decisions to be able to make possible this operation, paying the tickets of the two delegates, and hiring a third person, Daniel Veintimilla, an ecuadorian filmmaker based in the USA, to accompany the delegation, taking photos and video and translating. PURPOSE’s support for logistics and contacts was key to this operation.
The victory of Standing Rock, with the suspension of the tunnel drilling permit under the Missouri River and the review of the environmental impact by the US Army Corps of Engineers, could be temporary with the arrival of the new president of the United States.