Residents of Laurel de Corredores, in the southern part of the country, have filed an environmental complaint regarding alleged damage to the Coto Colorado River and other bodies of water near the operations of Coopeagropal R.L. The concern arises following the release of videos, photographs, and testimonies showing a massive die-off of aquatic organisms, a situation that the communities consider alarming and demand be investigated immediately by the competent authorities.

According to a complaint filed by local residents, on June 4, an incident of water pollution and contamination occurred in the Coto Colorado River, reportedly causing the death of fish, shrimp, and other aquatic organisms. The complainants attribute this incident to the discharge of large quantities of wastewater into canals that flow into the river, which they claim is linked to the operations of the Coopeagropal R.L. agro-industrial plant, located in El Roble de Laurel. It will be up to the authorities to determine, through the appropriate investigations, the exact causes of what happened and who may be responsible.

Images shared by residents show a large number of dead fish, shrimp, and other organisms along the riverbed, as well as water with clear signs of environmental degradation. The videos have sparked outrage among the local population, not only because of the extent of the damage observed, but also because, according to residents, this is not an isolated incident.

One of the issues that most concerns the communities is that, as they report, these types of incidents have been recurring periodically for several years. Residents say that similar situations arise every season and that, despite complaints filed with various agencies, no effective measures have been taken to investigate the incidents or prevent them from happening again.

The videos shared by the community reflect the outrage and helplessness of those who watch as the area’s water bodies are affected time and again. “It’s so frustrating to see this,” says one resident as he points to the large number of dead fish piling up on the banks. “Please help us bring this to light so the authorities will step in. This has been happening for years, and many people have tried to do something, but there has been no response.”

The testimonies reflect a deep sense of frustration at what they consider a lack of institutional attention to an issue that affects biodiversity, aquatic ecosystems, and the well-being of local communities. For many residents, the fish kill shown in the videos represents only the most visible manifestation of a broader environmental problem that requires a rigorous and independent investigation. In light of this situation, residents are requesting urgent intervention by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), the MINAE Water Directorate, the Administrative Environmental Court, the Ministry of Health, and other relevant institutions, to conduct field inspections, water quality analyses, biological monitoring, and technical studies to determine the causes of the organism die-off observed in the videos and reported by the community.

The communities emphasize that it is the responsibility of the authorities to establish, through technical and scientific procedures, whether there is a link between the observed damage and the activities taking place in the area. However, they believe that the evidence provided by residents, the scale of the aquatic organism die-off, and the recurrence of these events justify immediate action by the institutions responsible for environmental protection.

They also demand that the results of the investigations be made public and that, if environmental damage is confirmed, the necessary measures be taken to prevent further episodes of pollution and ensure the recovery of the affected ecosystems.

The severity of the images captured, the scale of the observed aquatic organism die-off, and the repeated nature of the complaints call for a prompt and transparent response from the authorities. The communities insist that events which, they claim, continue to occur year after year and generate concern, outrage, and uncertainty regarding the state of the Coto Colorado River, the region’s biodiversity, and the health of local ecosystems cannot be normalized.

Bloqueverde and the complainants call on the Water Directorate of MINAE, SINAC, the Ministry of Health, the Administrative Environmental Court, and all other relevant institutions to act with speed, transparency, and technical rigor, guaranteeing the communities’ right to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. They also request that the results of any inspection or investigation be promptly communicated to the public, in order to provide clarity on the causes of these events and the appropriate actions to prevent them from recurring.

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