LatinNews Daily - 6 May 2025

*Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has announced that all mining activity in Pataz province, in the northern region of La Libertad, will be suspended for 30 days and a military base established, among other measures, after 13 workers at a gold mine owned by local gold mining company, Poderosa, were found dead in a mine shaft on 4 May, having been kidnapped a week earlier. In a statement, Poderosa said the workers had been killed by criminals linked to illegal mining. It notes that on 26 April, armed criminals attacked a small artisanal mine with which Poderosa had an exploitation contract and kidnapped a group of its workers. Poderosa highlights that with the latest 13 murders, 39 artisanal miners and workers have been killed in Pataz, where a state of emergency is currently in force and where illegal mining remains widespread, buoyed by soaring international gold prices. The mining firm warns that “the spiral of uncontrolled violence in Pataz is taking place despite the declaration of a state of emergency and the presence of a significant police contingent which, unfortunately, has not been able to stop the deterioration of security conditions in the area”. As well as announcing the suspension of mining activity and establishment of a military base, President Boluarte also declared a curfew would be in place in Pataz from 6pm to 6am, the deployment of armed forces and the national police to Pataz, and that the government would ask congress for extraordinary powers to legislate on urban terrorism.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 250 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

• Subscribe
• Sign up for a one-time, 14-day trial