fomentando la destrucción en américa latina el costo real de la ofensiva de los agrocombustibles

The report analyzes the 'agrofuel offensive' in Latin America, focusing on Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, and Central American nations (Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala). It argues that the rapid expansion of monocultures for biofuels is driven by Northern demand and supported by government subsidies and international finance, leading to widespread deforestation, land concentration, and human rights abuses. Key findings include the use of slave-like labor in Brazilian sugarcane fields, the displacement of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Colombia for palm oil, and the loss of food security as food crops are replaced by energy crops. The document highlights the role of transnational corporations and international financial institutions in funding these developments while local populations face increased poverty and environmental degradation.

• In Brazil, the sugarcane ethanol industry is linked to severe labor abuses, including conditions similar to slavery, and the use of pre-harvest burning that causes respiratory illnesses in children and adolescents.
• The expansion of soy production in Argentina has led to significant deforestation, with approximately 250,000 hectares of forest eradicated annually, and a high concentration of land ownership where 2.2% of producers control nearly half of the soy production.
• The agrofuel sector in Central America, particularly in El Salvador, is linked to an increase in child labor, with reports of 30,000 children participating in the sugarcane harvest.
• In Uruguay, the expansion of agrofuels and forest monocultures is driving the 'foreignization' of land and threatening food security by replacing food crops with energy-producing species.
• International financial institutions, including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and USAID, provide critical funding and technical assistance that facilitate the expansion of agrofuel monocultures in the region.
• The report identifies a strong link between government officials and the agrofuel industry, noting cases where former ministers and high-ranking politicians have become major investors in the sector they previously regulated.
• The shift toward agrofuels often results in lower rural employment compared to traditional agriculture; for example, in Argentina, 200 hectares of dairy farming employ five families year-round, while the same area of soy employs one person for only 10 days per year.

APA

Ortiz, L., Santos, C., Rodríguez, L., Pedace, R., Torres, I. V., Quiroa, S., Rojas, I., & Godinez, M. (2008). fomentando la destrucción en américa latina el costo real de la ofensiva de los agrocombustibles. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Agrofuel-Report-Final-Spanish-Version.pdf

Chicago

Ortiz, Lucia, Carlos Santos, Lorena Rodríguez, Roque Pedace, Irene Vélez Torres, Silvia Quiroa, Isaac Rojas, and Mario Godinez. fomentando la destrucción en américa latina el costo real de la ofensiva de los agrocombustibles. Friends of the Earth International, 2008. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Agrofuel-Report-Final-Spanish-Version.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ortiz |first1=Lucia |last2=Santos |first2=Carlos |last3=Rodríguez |first3=Lorena |last4=Pedace |first4=Roque |last5=Torres |first5=Irene Vélez |last6=Quiroa |first6=Silvia |last7=Rojas |first7=Isaac |last8=Godinez |first8=Mario |title=fomentando la destrucción en américa latina el costo real de la ofensiva de los agrocombustibles |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=September 2008 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Agrofuel-Report-Final-Spanish-Version.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ortiz2008fomentando, author = {Ortiz, Lucia and Santos, Carlos and Rodríguez, Lorena and Pedace, Roque and Torres, Irene Vélez and Quiroa, Silvia and Rojas, Isaac and Godinez, Mario}, title = {{fomentando la destrucción en américa latina el costo real de la ofensiva de los agrocombustibles}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2008}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Agrofuel-Report-Final-Spanish-Version.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }