Andrés Olarte Wins Ellsberg Whistleblower Award, Recognising His Courage In The Face Of Intimidation
Paris, December 9th, 2025 – Andrés Olarte, who exposed massive environmental crimes and human rights violations by Colombia’s state-owned oil company Ecopetrol, has been named the 2026 Ellsberg Whistleblower Award recipient. It is an important recognition of Olarte’s extraordinary courage to expose human rights violations and environmental destruction, Climate Whistleblowers (CW) said today.
His disclosures, known as The Iguana Papers, compile a massive database of over 300,000 non-compliance cases and environmental and human rights crimes committed by Ecopetrol in Colombia. These include deliberate concealment of water contamination, routine illegal flaring, targeted surveillance and retaliation against socio-environmental leaders, collaboration with national security forces and convergence of interests with paramilitary groups. Ecopetrol denies all wrongdoing.
Following the revelations, Olarte faced not only labour reprisals but also attempts to silence and intimidate him. He received anonymous letters at home, one of them reading “Olarte, don’t get yourself killed. Andi, say something, and you know what happens.“ Phone calls warned his family could be next. Facing relentless intimidation, Andrés fled to Berlin, where he now lives in exile. He has filed a labour complaint for harassment in Colombia against Ecopetrol.
“What happened to me also happens to activists, social leaders, and ordinary citizens who do something deeply human: take care of their home, their water, their land”, said Olarte. “What I want is real change regarding systematic environmental crimes and violence against environmental leaders. Ecopetrol and the hydrocarbons industry need to deeply reconsider how they operate in Colombia.”
Today, Olarte continues to fight for justice, with CW by his side. He is awaiting the second hearing of his labour harassment case against Ecopetrol. He has also filed several complaints, including with Colombian authorities for environmental wrongdoing and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for misleading investors by concealing information.
Olarte’s case comes as Colombia grapples with a crisis of violence against environmental defenders. The country leads the world in murders of land and environmental defenders, with systematic impunity for perpetrators. His legal complaints can be a crucial step in holding extractive companies accountable.
“Andrés Olarte is an example of integrity and courage, and should never have paid this high a price for doing what’s right,” declared Gabriel Bourdon-Fattal, Director of Climate Whistleblowers. “Colombian authorities must take immediate action to protect environmental whistleblowers like Andrés and support his fight for justice.”
ENDS.
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Climate Whistleblowers is an NGO dedicated to protecting individuals who expose wrongdoings that worsen the climate crisis and ensuring their disclosures are impactful. Even a single act of whistleblowing can make all the difference. With individualised support, we believe a new generation of climate whistleblowers can catalyse the change the world desperately needs.
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