On
Monday, José Antonio Fernandez, the High Commissioner for Mining
Formalization for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, told Agencia
Andina that Peru is the country in Latin America that has made the greatest
strides in its fight against illegal mining. He added, “We have got a fiscal,
judicial and police subsystem undertaking efforts in this this fight [against
illegal mining]. We have improved a lot, compared to any other country in
history.”
Fernandez specifically pointed to the two specialized courts
that the country set up in Piura and Cusco to deal with environmental cases. In
addition, Peru has received recognition from other countries in the region for
its experience in combatting illegal mining. The High Commissioner proudly
reported that 600 miners have completed the formalization process and another
32,000 have obtained their tax identification number, which will allow them to
pay federal taxes.
In other mining-related news, La
Republica published a piece on the ongoing social tension between anti-mining
strikers and police and mining officials in the province of Islay. Protesters
have shut down the area for over a week and attacked a convoy of workers of
Southern Peru who were in the area to develop a copper mine. The article quoted
sociologist José Lombardi Indacochea’s analysis of the situation. He said that
the two sides are two radicalized, that the conversation should not be so
polarized in regards to mining, and should instead discuss what viable economic
alternatives to mining could exist in the area.
In oil-related news, Peruvian state-owned oil company
Petroperú decided
to scrap its plans to sell up to 49 percent of the company to private investors
later in 2015. Petroperú president German Velasquez said that the sale of the
minority stake would be delayed at least until 2016.
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