The Andes
Peru: Cajamarca regional strike remobilizes
Campesinos in Peru’s Cajamarca region pledge to block operations of Newmont Mining company that they say are preparatory to the controversial Conga gold mine project.
Tag: control of water
The Andes
Peru: justice sought in slaying of mine opponent
An employee of the controversial Yanacocha gold mine in Peru’s Cajamarca region was arrested for the slaying of a local campesino leader who opposed the mine’s expansion.
The Andes
Peru: mine tailing spill contaminates Río Huallaga
Authorities in Peru admitted that wastewater laced with heavy metals from a major zinc mine has spilled into the Río Huallaga, a major tributary of the Amazon.
Southern Cone
Brazil: court blocks mega-hydro to protect Pantanal
A Brazilian judge ruled that permits for more than 120 proposed hydro-electric dams in the Upper Paraguay River Basin cannot be issued without impact assessments.
Mexico
Mexico: victory for campesino struggle against La Parota dam
The governor of Mexico’s Guerrero state signed an agreement with campesino communities pledging not to move ahead with La Parota hydro-dam without their consent.
The Andes
Bolivia: Aymara communities occupy Oruro mine
Aymara campesinos are occupying installations of the Inti Raymi Mining Company outside the Altiplano city of Oruro, in protest of the pollution of local water sources.
The Andes
Peru: Newmont Mining to abandon Conga project?
As protests continue in defiance of a state of emergency, the CEO of Newmont Mining acknowledged that conditions do not exist to move ahead with the giant Conga project.
The Andes
Peru: peasants protest Chinese mining project
Campesinos in Peru’s northern Piura region pledge to resist announced plans by Chinese mining company Zijin to move ahead with the long-contested Río Blanco copper project.
The Andes
Colombia: war, illegal mining encroach on indigenous communities
Embera indigenous communities on Colombia’s Pacific coast came under bombardment by army helicopters, while an Awá community expelled illegal gold miners from their land.
The Andes
Peru: endgame in Cajamarca struggle?
Even establishment voices in Peru are calling for a suspension of the Conga mining project, as Cajamarca region remains under a state of emergency for another month.
The Amazon
Brazilian appeals court suspends Belo Monte dam
A Brazilian court suspended construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam project on the Amazon’s Xingu River, finding that indigenous people had not been properly consulted.
The Andes
Peru: more protests over mining, water
Campesinos in Peru blocked roads to protest the pollution of local waters by a US-owned mining project in Áncash region, and the Pasto Grande II water diversion scheme.