The presidents of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia on May 26 criticized a recent decision to grant global retailer Amazon Inc. the rights to the .amazon domain. The Amazon basin countries Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia argued that the name refers to the Amazonas geographic region, and should not be monopolized by one private company. See the statements of the presidents by clicking here.

In a joint statement issued after the 19th Meeting of the Presidential Council of the Andean Community of Nations, the leaders said this decision sets “a grave precedent by prioritizing private commercial interests above the considerations of state public policies, the rights of indigenous people and the preservation of the Amazon.”

The statement came in response to a decision by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees internet addresses, to consult the arguments to define the future of the “.amazon” domain for a period of 30 days.