New attempt to stop mining projects in southern Ecuador

Conflicts over water use affect mining in various countries, and Ecuador is no exception, as authorities in the country's south are seeking to stop at least three mining projects through a public consultation process.

Mayor Pedro Palacios of the city of Cuenca, capital of the southern Azuay province, submitted a request to Ecuador's constitutional court to hold a referendum in order to allow the inhabitants to decide if they want mining activity in areas near the city's four rivers.

While geological experts and mining representatives argue that the projects are not located near watersheds and that they will not cause any damage, activists, who are now supported by the local authorities, argue the opposite.

This is the fourth time that attempts have been made to stop large-scale mining in Azuay, a location that is home to major mining projects such as the Loma Larga gold, silver and copper mine, the Río Blanco gold and silver mine, and the Ruta del Cobre copper and molybdenum mine, which are at different stages of exploration.

The previous attempts had come from activists and the head of the provincial government, Yaku Pérez, who is now the indigenous movement's presidential candidate.

Mining-focused lawyer Stevie Gamboa told BNamericas that the request submitted by Palacios contains the same flaws as the previous requests and could therefore be rejected by the constitutional court once again.

"The current questions include the same errors of form and substance like the previous attempts: confusing questions that do not respect the right to choose since the voter is not given all the necessary information," says Gamboa. "It's a political and not a technical move."

In general, mining projects generate funds for the jurisdictions where they are located because in addition to the taxes paid by mining companies, the law says that 60% of the royalties must be invested in the local communities.

It is a strategy to draw attention to the issue in order to turn it into a political success for the local administration and turn people’s attention away from unsuccessful programs, says Gamboa.

In terms of the activists, their strategy is not aimed at going to the polls but rather keeping conflicts active in order to continue raising funds from foreign NGOs that support such issues, according to Gamboa.

In 2018, Ecuadorians expressed their opinion in a public consultation where it was established that mining activities cannot take place in protected or populated areas. Some experts therefore say that the mining projects in Azuay should not be affected by a referendum since they do not violate the law.