Next week, the Ninth March for the Sovereignty of Lago Escondido will begin, an annual mobilization that denounces the illegal appropriation of land in Argentine Patagonia by British businessman Joe Lewis. The march is organized by the Interactive Foundation to Promote the Culture of Water (FIPCA) since 2016 and attracts participants from all over the country.
The mobilization is headed towards the lake located in the province of Río Negro, which Lewis keeps blocked despite judicial rulings ordering public access. It is estimated that the British mogul controls around 12,000 hectares acquired illegally and at a minimal cost, in contravention of the National Constitution, which establishes free access to bodies of water in the public domain.
Vikingo Meyer, a member of the Juana Azurduy column and part of the march organization, noted that they are advanced in planning the mobilization in the mountains and that activities will also take place in the towns of El Bolsón and Bariloche as part of the protest. Meyer stated that the claim for sovereignty is crucial at this moment for the country and to lift the fighting spirit of the people.
This new edition of the demand for the sovereignty of Lago Escondido takes place in a context marked by growing concern over private interests encroaching on strategic territories and natural resources in Patagonia. Meyer emphasized the importance of addressing the sovereignty issue to achieve development that benefits all Argentines and highlighted that resolving issues such as foreign control of territories, to which Argentine authorities have no access, is fundamental.
In summary, the Ninth March for the Sovereignty of Lago Escondido is preparing to demand respect for judicial rulings and public access to this Patagonian lake, in a context where the defense of national sovereignty is becoming increasingly relevant in the region.
