The contracts had never been signed and had been negotiated directly with the British company.
Martín Vizcarra’s government canceled his predecessor’s decision to award five offshore oil contracts to London-based Tullow Oil PLC shortly before resigning.
The reason, according to information from Reuters, was because of insufficient consultations with coastal residents.
“The reversal, which was published in the official gazette on Wednesday, was a victory for fishermen and environmentalists who said that exploration and drilling would have put important fisheries and whale breeding grounds at risk”, Reuters informed on Wednesday.
These contracts were never signed, according to the state energy promoter Perupetro. They came under fire after Peruvians learned that the former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (PPK)had signed five decrees authorizing the British oil company just before stepping down as Head of State in March, over graft allegations.
It was also known that the contracts had been negotiated directly with Tullow without giving the communities a chance to have a say in the decision-making process.
“We want a country that develops investments with peace and tranquility, and that’s done with a good start to a project,” Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva told a press conference, according to Reuters.
As for Tullow, they feel disappointed. George Cazenove, the company’s head of communications said that they have complied with the process and procedures that the Peruvian law requires.
According to the comptroller’s office, the contracts are not illegal, but the process of granting concessions should be done with more transparency.
