Ecuador rejected ASO’s offer to co-host the 2014 Dakar Rally

Ecuador is the first South American country to reject the Dakar Rally race, raising questions about its environmental and archaeological impact. Government officials came to the conclusion after examining the environmental effects the 2013 edition of the race had on Peru, Chile and Argentina.

The decision is an important victory for Raúl Montenegro (RLA 2004, president of FUNAM, Argentina), who has been working with Luis Mariano Rendon from Chile and Klaus Hönninger from Peru to ban the race from the Latin American continent, highlighting the environmental and cultural damages caused by the race.

Last month, Montenegro launched a petition asking the Peruvian government to protect the life of Klaus Hönninger. Mr Hönniger was facing continuous death threats since he scientifically proved the damage done by the Dakar Rally in paleontological sites of the Ocucaje Desert, and communicated these findings to the media. The petition was signed by more than 50 RLA Laureates.