Peru has sacked its top anti-logging official, leading to claims he was dismissed after pressure from the timber trade and drawing criticism from a leading US congressman and environmentalists.

The presidential decision to dismiss Rolando Navarro, the former head of Peru’s forestry and wildlife inspection service OSINFOR was announced in El Peruano, the state-owned gazette. It makes no mention of why Navarro was dismissed.

“Clearly, illegal logging in Peru continues,” Earl Blumenauer, the US Congressman for Oregon who has campaigned to toughen the US’s stance on illegal rainforest logging, told the Guardian.



“I am appalled that the removal of Rolando Navarro comes in the wake of protests by industry groups following the intervention by authorities in Peru to stop shipments of illegally harvested timber,” said Blumenauer, who helped amend the US’s 2008 Lacey Act to outlaw the import of illegally sourced wood.

“This sends the wrong message. Peru must do more to keep its commitments under our agreement to end the illegal trade in timber, and if it does not, the US government must pursue aggressive enforcement,” he added. The sacking follows what was locally reported to be the largest seizure of illegal timber in Peruvian history in November last year. In protests that followed, led by the timber industry, Navarro’s name was displayed on a symbolic coffin.

In September 2015, a massive shipment of Peruvian timber was seized in the US port of Houston. The same Peruvian vessel, the Yacu Kallpa, changed its ship flag and departed for the Dominican Republic where it was again detained by the authorities. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) saysits field reports under Navarro’s leadership demonstrated massive laundering of illegal timber as legal which led the logging industry and exporters to call for his dismissal – both publicly and privately. “By sacking this highly valuable public officer, President Ollanta Humala seems to be trying to send a message to all the other public servants to not attempt to stop the illegal logging mafia,” said Julia Urrunaga, the EIA’s Peru director. “The many brave public officers, who remain committed to their mission, should not be underestimated. While many in the government continue to turn a blind eye to illegal logging, and sometimes act in collusion with the timber mafias, ongoing reform efforts will not be silenced.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Protests over timber seizures in Peru saw the name of anti-logging chief, Rolando Navarro, displayed on a symbolic coffin in November 2015. Photograph: Dan Collyns

The EIA alleges that industry groups pushed for Navarro’s dismissal, claiming further evidence of illegality in the timber sector would threaten the trade relationship with the United States. Peru expects to sign the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) with the US this year which contains binding provisions to combat the illicit trade in timber and wildlife.

The two countries have an existing 2008 Free Trade Agreement (also known as the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement) which includes explicit requirements to guarantee the independence of OSINFOR. A US state department official said OSINFOR continues to be a “linchpin” in Peru’s efforts to combat the illegal trade in timber, adding: “There have been important steps in combating illegal timber as a result of the PTPA (Peru Trade Promotion Agreement), including the detection of potential problems in the Houston and Iquitos shipments recently.” “But work remains and we are committed to continuing our work with Peru to address ongoing challenges to ensuring effective forest sector governance,” he added.