Another deadline passed in the long-running social conflict
over the Tía María copper mining project in the Peruvian province of Islay. On
Tuesday, the 60-day state of emergency declared by the Peruvian government on
May 23rd expired. Although the state of emergency achieved its
immediate purpose
of calming the violent protests that had raged in the area, all signs indicate
that the Peruvian government will extend the state of emergency.
According to the Peruvian Minister of Energy and Mines, Rosa
María Ortiz, the governor of Arequipa, Yamila Delgado had asked that the state
of emergency be extended “because there were not the conditions to lift it.”
Minister Ortiz added, “El Council of Ministers will evaluate this request,
together with the reports solicited from the police, and later will make its
decision known.” The police director for Arequipa warned that intelligence
reports show that, as soon as the state of emergency is lifted, the protests
will start back up again.
In Peruvian oil-related news, the consultation with the
local indigenous community over the auctioning of the rights to Lot 192 was suspended
earlier this week. According to the Ministry of Culture, local indigenous
leaders are asking for a concrete commitment from the Peruvian government to
put together a $1 billion 30-year development fund, lasting the duration of the
new operating agreement for Lot 192. The government however only offered a
normative initiative.
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