As of this moment, the Government of Rio Negro has a term of three months to guarantee that the population can transit through a free access road.
The Justice of Argentina ratified this Monday a 2013 ruling that orders the reopening of the access roads to Lago Escondido, a water mirror of singular beauty located in the province of Rio Negro, on the Andes mountain range, which is surrounded by the property of english tycoon JoeLewis, informs the Telam agency.
As of this moment, the Government of Rio Negro has a period of three months to guarantee that the population can travel through a free access road to Lago Escondido, bordering the ranch of Lewis, who lives in the Bahamas.
The court case was initiated in 2005, 17 years ago. Only in 2013 did the Justice of Bariloche order the provincial government to carry out the necessary work to guarantee the transit to Lago Escondido through the Tacuifi road (in the El Foyel area), in Rio Negro land, the shortest and most direct route.
Thirteen years after the resolution of the Superior Court of Justice of Rio Negro, a Chamber ratified that the provincial State must open the shortest and most direct route for free access to #HiddenLake.It is a key ruling that ratifies the right to public use of coasts 🧵 pic.twitter.com/1PI1JXzPIH
– Santiago Rey (@SantiagoRey71) September 12, 2022
However, both Joe Lewis and the Rio Negro administration presented various proposals for not complying with the provisions.
The ruling that was released this Monday, gives a period of 90 days for Rio Negro to implement “all the corresponding administrative actions”, with the aim of avoid “inconveniences or threats” to those who want to enter “an asset in the public domain”.
Lewis, considered one of the 500 richest people in the world, owns between 9,000 and 14,000 hectares in Patagonia. He acquired the 8,000 hectares that surround Lago Escondido in 1996 in a dubious manner and at a ridiculous price of $12 million. The billionaire bought the property through an Argentine company, which after the operation, gave the land to the British.
In addition, he fenced the place and prevented access through his private security, blocking the right of access of citizens despite the fact that, as it is a national heritage, its public use is guaranteed by law.
Source: RT
