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Doctor's SUV damages protected area in Argentina; recovery could take 100 years
🇦🇷 Argentina /Health & Science

Doctor's SUV damages protected area in Argentina; recovery could take 100 years

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A doctor drove his SUV into a protected area in San Juan, Argentina, causing significant environmental damage.
  • The incident occurred in Pampa del Leoncito, an area that specialists estimate could take 100 years to recover.
  • Local officials and residents expressed outrage, demanding accountability and increased environmental awareness.

A doctor from Mendoza, Argentina, has caused considerable environmental damage after driving his SUV into a protected area in San Juan, sparking widespread indignation. The incident occurred last Saturday when Agustín Añó, 46, a doctor working in Chile, drove his Toyota Hilux into a prohibited section of the Pampa del Leoncito plain in Calingasta municipality.

His vehicle became stuck, leaving tracks that specialists from the National University of San Juan estimate could take up to 100 years to recover. Pampa del Leoncito is a dry plain of clay and silt surrounded by the Andes Mountains. Añó's vehicle traveled approximately 1.5 kilometers within the restricted zone.

Caring for Pampa del Leoncito is caring for our heritage. What happened in Pampa del Leoncito cannot remain just a news item. It must serve to generate awareness and to understand that our natural spaces are a heritage that we all have the responsibility to care for.

— Sebastián CarbajalThe mayor of Calingasta on the environmental damage caused by the doctor's vehicle.

Sebastián Carbajal, the mayor of Calingasta, visited the site and posted a strong message on social media, emphasizing the need for greater environmental consciousness. "Caring for Pampa del Leoncito is caring for our heritage. What happened in Pampa del Leoncito cannot remain just a news item. It must serve to generate awareness and to understand that our natural spaces are a heritage that we all have the responsibility to care for," Carbajal wrote. He thanked media outlets for helping to highlight the importance of protecting this unique location.

There are signs everywhere... It is reprehensible that a doctor has damaged this environmental heritage.

— Claudia YanzónA local tourism operator's reaction to the incident.

Local tourism operator Claudia Yanzón condemned the act, stating, "There are signs everywhere... It is reprehensible that a doctor has damaged this environmental heritage." Andrés Troche, the local justice of the peace, noted that the doctor's defense, possibly claiming a lack of signage, would be invalid, asserting that "there are signs everywhere."

Following the mayor's complaint, Dr. Añó presented himself to the authorities on Monday, provided his statement, and established a domicile. He was released while the investigation continues. The incident has highlighted the fragility of protected natural areas and the need for stricter enforcement and public awareness regarding environmental protection.

These are defensive arguments. We know that there are signs everywhere.

— Andrés TrocheThe justice of the peace refuting potential defense claims about lack of signage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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