The central government, the Prosecutor's Office, the regional governor of Lima and the municipality of Ventanilla have made progress in recent hours with their investigations and complaints against Repsol, following the environmental disaster caused by the leak of almost a million liters of crude oil off the coast of Lima in the past January 15.

"

We are going to be inflexible and act with a firm hand," said Rubén Ramírez, Peruvian Minister of the Environment

, who revealed that the economic fines can approach 32 million euros and, what would be even worse for the Spanish multinational, the paralysis of its activity in Peru.

The government of

Pedro Castillo

had already announced sanctions against those responsible for the first spill, whom the National Prosecutor's Office threatens with up to

seven years in prison

. There are at least four Repsol directors named, who are accused of allegedly committing the crime of pollution in its aggravated type. "They have the status of being investigated and will be notified so that they can present their allegations to the Public Ministry," said attorney Julio César Guzmán.

The Peruvian government estimates that

the oil has invaded 21 coastal beaches along more than 40 kilometers

, more than 900 hectares between the surface of the sea and the sand. Hundreds of fishermen have lost their jobs and birds and fish, their lives. The photographs of the animals, "painted" black by fuel, have moved public opinion in the Andean country from day one.

"The ecological damage to our coastline is inadmissible. The State has ordered criminal, civil and administrative actions in order to protect the sovereignty and well-being of the country," said Castillo,

whose administration tried to ride the wave of national rejection against Repsol harassed by the lack of popularity of its president

. Subsequently, criticism has even extended to government action to mitigate the catastrophic damage caused by the spill. The complaints also include the alleged lack of aid for the affected fishermen.

"The ecosystem will take many years to recover," the Environment Ministry insisted yesterday.

Local media have provided abundant evidence that cleanup teams have not yet reached all affected areas.

The statements by the environment minister came hours after the General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards alerted the country about a possible second leak, discovered during an inspection flight of the area affected by the first spill.

"It is a relatively small spill, controlled by the barrier. It is being verified on the nearby coasts to verify that it has not arrived," said Jesús Menacho, chief of staff of the Navy Coast Guard.

Instead,

Repsol denied that it was a second leak

and specified that it is a "controlled outcrop of remnants" of the first spill and that it is under control.

Beyond the incidence of this second "oily stain" in the vicinity of the

La Pampilla Refinery,

the different administrations debate how to compensate the country after the environmental disaster, one of the greatest in its history. "We demand the immediate suspension of all the activities carried out at the La Pampilla Refinery, while the relevant agencies carry out an exhaustive supervision of each of its facilities and equipment that this plant has," said the municipality of Ventanilla, the most affected by pollution. Its mayor,

Pedro Spadaro, also announced that he will impose an administrative fine on Repsol, in addition to expanding the criminal complaint

"against the officials responsible for the alleged crimes against the environment, life, body, health and damage caused to the coastline of our district."

The criticism does not only affect Repsol;

the management of the central government is also scrutinized by citizens and environmental organizations

.

Hundreds of operators work in a race against the clock to clean the 6,000 barrels of oil spilled in Ventanilla during an unloading operation from an Italian ship.

Repsol attributes the accident to the strong waves caused by the volcanic eruption in Tonga.

"There has been an apparently improper maneuver, having allowed the leak of oily material that has polluted our seas," confirmed Minister Ramírez last night.

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