The oral and public trial, which is already historic in **Chubut**, for the massacre of **penguins in Punta Tombo** concluded this Wednesday with the details of the **sentence for Ricardo La Regina**.
The livestock producer had been found guilty and received a sentence of three years of **conditional suspended imprisonment**. This means that he will not go to jail, but the sentence sets a precedent in the country and the region.
## Historic Sentence for the Penguin Massacre in Punta Tombo
The **Judiciary of Chubut** issued a sentence in the oral trial for the penguin massacre in Punta Tombo. They condemned the responsible party, Ricardo Adolfo La Regina, for the crimes of **aggravated continuous damage** and animal cruelty.
“The ruling not only imposes an exemplary sentence but also sets a precedent in the defense of our country’s ecosystems,” celebrated the plaintiff organizations **Greenpeace Argentina**, **Fundación Patagonia Natural**, and the **Asociación Argentina de Abogados/as Ambientalistas** (AAdeAA).
In an unprecedented verdict, Dr. **Carlos Richieri** even stated that the aggravated damage committed by La Regina constitutes an “**ecocide**,” aligning with the positions of the environmental organizations involved in the lawsuit.
The court sentenced the accused to three years of conditional suspended imprisonment and imposed strict behavioral rules. Among these, it highlights:
– The **prohibition of driving** large vehicles in sensitive areas to the ecosystem.
– The obligation to collaborate in environmental restoration tasks at La Perla ranch, where the events took place.
– The prohibition of carrying out works without authorization and environmental impact reports approved by provincial authorities.
Additionally, as requested by the organizations in the lawsuit, the court ordered the **confiscation of the backhoe** used in the crimes. By majority decision, the judges also ruled that La Regina must **pay the costs of the process**.
## Precautionary Measures
The ruling also includes **precautionary measures** of great relevance. The Provincial Government must immediately intervene to ensure the protection of environmental assets in the affected area.
Within a **maximum period of 60 days**, the authorities must define and execute specific actions for the recovery and custody of the ecosystem, providing periodic reports to the court over the next three years.
## The Punta Tombo Massacre
By driving heavy machinery through the area, they **crushed 140 penguin nests** – each nest contains approximately three penguins in a high-density area of chicks that will have offspring from Magellan to the reserve – and **electrocuted another hundred** in the reserve.
The events also led to the **death of 292 chicks** and eggs of the species and the loss of 2000 square meters of native vegetation in the provincial natural reserve.
The Prosecutor’s Office explained that it occurred on land adjacent to Punta Tombo, **next to the reserve**.
The General Prosecutor of Rawson, in charge of the investigation, **Florencia Gómez**, within less than two hours, ordered a raid to verify the incident. A commission composed of mounted police, forensics, investigators, Rawson police station, Ministry personnel, park rangers, biologists, and CENPAT members.
Almost three years later, something historical was achieved: the first **oral and public trial** in Argentina for aggravated environmental damage and animal cruelty. Additionally, La Regina faces a **sentence of up to 4 years of effective imprisonment**.
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