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One of Central America's most famous
waves is in danger due to a proposal
by a private developer that has met with
initial approval by the Salvadorian government.
A man named Jose Maria Monterrey has
purchased a large block of land at the
end of Punta Roca in La Libertad, in
order to build a massive apartment complex
including four towers, each of which
will be twelve stories high. According
to Salvadorian Rodrigo Barraza, owner
of Punta Mango tours, the project also
includes a seawall and a pier that will
bisect the break. Mr. Monterrey has already
hired a construction company called CPK
Consultores (http://www.cpk.com.sv/index_main.htm)
to design and engineer the project, which
is in its final stages of permitting,
pending approval by the Ministry of Natural
Resources.
Anyone who has traveled Central America
knows that this point is one of the best
in the world. So good, in fact, that
thousands of surfers still visited the
point during El Salvador's civil war,
when the US Government had listed the
country as one of the most dangerous
in the world for foreign travelers. As
one frequent visitor to La Libertad put
it, "that wave is the only thing
that city has going for it."
Local surfers in El Salvador are few,
but they have put together a petition
of some 200 signatures to try to stall
the project, and are calling for international
help. Save the Waves Coalition has sent
letters to the construction company and
to government officials to urge them
to put a halt to the project until the
impact on the surf spot is fully understood.
According to Roberto Rotherham, owner
of the hotel on the point and a longtime
resident of La Lib, the plans are not
as bad as they may seem. “Everyone
is on edge right now,” he said
in a recent conversation with Save the
Waves, “but it is my belief that
the company will come to their senses
and see that the building of the pier
is not cost effective.” Regardless,
the surfers of El Salvador are wary,
especially in a country where valid information
is hard to come by.
The surfers of El Salvador need our help.
Please click the button below to find
out what you can do.
Please register HERE.
It's FREE, and by signing up you will
receive news on all of the latest developments
in our fight against harmful development
projects. If you wish to make a donation,
please go to our Donation
Station. The staff and volunteers
at Save the Waves thank you for your
support!
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