Coalición Floresta · Forest & Environmental Law Library

Exp. 10-011393-0007-CO — Inadmissibility of amparo against demolition order due to lack of evidence of environmental harmImprocedencia de amparo contra orden de demolición por falta de prueba del daño ambiental

case summary Topic: procedural-environmental

Summary

English

This case resolves an amparo action filed by neighbors and an environmental association against a municipal demolition order in Gandoca-Manzanillo, which sought to protect a mangrove that the petitioners claimed was being affected. The Constitutional Chamber dismissed the recourse for lack of evidence of the alleged environmental harm. The court held that the petitioners failed to prove the violation of the environmental rights invoked, as they did not establish the actual existence of the mangrove or specific damage to the ecosystem. The decision stresses that in environmental amparo proceedings, it is necessary to prove, at least summarily, the threat or damage to the environment for the remedy to be granted, reiterating that mere invocation of diffuse interests does not relieve the minimum burden of proof.

Español

Este caso resuelve un recurso de amparo interpuesto por vecinos y una asociación ambiental contra una orden municipal de demolición en Gandoca-Manzanillo, que buscaba proteger un manglar que los recurrentes alegaban estaba siendo afectado. La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar el recurso por falta de prueba del daño ambiental alegado. El tribunal consideró que la parte recurrente no logró demostrar la violación a los derechos ambientales invocados, ya que no se acreditó la existencia efectiva del manglar ni el daño concreto al ecosistema. La decisión subraya que en procesos de amparo ambiental es necesario probar, al menos de manera sumaria, la amenaza o lesión al ambiente para que proceda la tutela, reiterando que la sola invocación de intereses difusos no exime de la carga probatoria mínima.

Key excerpt

Español (source)
III. -Hechos probados. De importancia para la resolución de este asunto, se estiman como debidamente demostrados los siguientes hechos: 1. Que la Municipalidad del cantón de Talamanca giró a nombre de la recurrente María del Carmen Rodríguez Arias la orden de demolición número 186-2010... IV.- La Sala Constitucional ha sido reiterativa en indicar que la protección del ambiente que la Constitución Política encomienda, no puede ser interpretada de manera aislada, sino en concordancia con el resto del ordenamiento jurídico, de manera que el recurso de amparo no procede cuando no existe prueba, al menos sumaria, de la violación o amenaza al derecho fundamental invocado... En el presente caso, los recurrentes no logran demostrar la afectación que acusan, pues no consta en el expediente prueba alguna que permita tener por acreditada la existencia del manglar cuya protección se reclama, ni mucho menos la posibilidad cierta e inminente de que la orden de demolición girada pueda ocasionar un daño ambiental.

English (translation)
III. Proven Facts. The following facts are deemed duly proven as relevant for the resolution of this matter: 1. That the Municipality of the canton of Talamanca issued demolition order number 186-2010 to the petitioner María del Carmen Rodríguez Arias... IV. The Constitutional Chamber has repeatedly held that the environmental protection mandated by the Political Constitution cannot be interpreted in isolation, but in harmony with the rest of the legal system, such that the amparo remedy is not available when there is no evidence, at least summary, of the violation or threat to the fundamental right invoked... In this case, the petitioners fail to prove the alleged impact, since the record contains no evidence to establish the existence of the mangrove whose protection is claimed, much less a certain and imminent possibility that the issued demolition order may cause environmental harm.

Outcome

Denied

English

The Constitutional Chamber denied the amparo for lack of evidence of the alleged environmental harm.

Español

La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar el amparo por falta de prueba del daño ambiental alegado.

Pull quotes

Concept anchors

Art. 50 · Constitución Política
Art. 29 · Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional

Keywords

environmental amparosummary evidenceenvironmental harmdemolition ordermangroveGandoca-ManzanilloMunicipality of Talamancadiffuse interestsburden of proofConstitutional Chamberamparo ambientalprueba sumariadaño ambientalorden de demoliciónmanglarGandoca-ManzanilloMunicipalidad de Talamancaintereses difusoscarga de la pruebaSala Constitucional

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Original source: https://pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/asunto_cons/asu_asunto_const.aspx?nValor1=1&param5=10-011393-0007-CO&strTipM=E
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