Minera Buenaventura temporarily suspended operations after violent interference from protesters

Mining company Buenaventura, located in the district of Cochaccasa, province of Angaraes, region Huancavelica, temporarily suspended its activities after the violent intervention of a group of protesters in a mining camp. This was said in a statement.

According to the company, a group of community members broke into the camp yesterday to force a Julcani representative to sign a document containing content that the company disagrees with, among other things, demanding that the mining division completely paralyze its operations until further notice. .

“In order to ensure the inviolability of workers Unit Julkani it has begun the demobilization of all personnel and suspended its activities until proper security conditions are in place. This situation limits the company in carrying out the necessary activities as part of the operation, which jeopardizes the environmental safety of the territory. Good luck

According to the mining company, they also forced workers to leave the facilities under threat, threw stones at the offices and vehicles of the mining enterprise, and stole some items. The company also cautioned that the situation was reported to the Environmental Assessment and Control Agency and the Energy and Mining Investment Supervision Agency for liability determination.

Bamboos in danger

Apurimac Chamber of Commerce president Edward Palacios indicated that the Las Bambas shutdown is a “very big loss” as the division accounts for nearly 80% of regional GDP and over 1% of national GDP. He explained that with the closure of the mine, there would be no more money to “fill social gaps and create works that meet social needs.”

Palacios mentioned that part of the population understands that stopping Las Bambas is detrimental to the development of the region and knows that it will affect the pockets of families from Apurima. However, he clarified that there is another group of people who think differently.

“There is another part of the population that was incited, which, unfortunately, is in the most need, which has not seen the reflection of this economic boom in the region, and which is incited, saying: look how they take away our wealth, our future. and animals. Of course, they have fair claims, but it was the problem of subnational governments that were not able to realize all the economic prosperity that Apurímac had in the development works,” he said.