Ecuadoran indigenous groups threaten to halt mining operations

The confederation of indigenous nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), the group representing native peoples in the country, has threatened to take more radical action against the mining industry and has blamed President Guillermo Lasso's government.

"We are going to radicalize the struggle to defend the life of indigenous territories," Conaie president Leonidas Iza said in a press conference. 

"What they – the mining companies – have invested in our lands, they will lose because we're going to defend the land with our lives and we're not going to let them enter the territories where there's conflict with mining firms," he added.

The indigenous leader stated that an assembly of the indigenous movement and all anti-mining groups will be held in Cotopaxi province on January 12 to hammer out agreements and "strategies to defend the territories," as well as to outline legal measures that can be taken in Ecuador and internationally to halt mining activity.

He added that a date could also be agreed at the assembly to carry out a preventive strike in all the areas where mining companies operate.

A series of widespread indigenous protests and strikes were carried out for more than two weeks midway through last year, producing national economic losses estimated at around US$1bn. To end the standoff, the Lasso government promised, among other things, not to grant new mining concessions until there was a prior consultation law for projects in indigenous territories. 

It also agreed to create a technical committee to review the proposal for environmental consultation and not to carry out mining activities in protected areas, ancestral territories, intangible and archaeological zones and areas reserved for the protection of water resources.

However, the demands of the indigenous movement increased until the groups called for a full moratorium on large-scale mining and an agreement not to open the mining cadastre for new concessions, among other demands.

At the moment, mining constitutes the country's fourth most important sector for exports, but the wealth of resources in the Andean nation suggests that mining revenues could even surpass those of the oil industry in the coming years.

Last month, public-private partnerships secretary Roberto Salas told BNamericas that Ecuador is preparing a security program with the support of the armed forces and the police to safeguard mining assets that are nearing the construction phase.

The camps of several of these projects have suffered attacks or been invaded by illegal miners and access to some sites has been blocked.

The program is expected to go into effect in January to protect 11 mining projects in a first stage, sources from the energy and mines ministry told BNamericas.

The Mirador copper mine, operated by EcuaCorriente, and Lundin Gold's Fruta del Norte gold mine are the country's only major mining operations, but investments of around US$11bn are mooted for new developments.

Big projects in the pipeline include La Plata (polymetallic mine), Curipamba (copper and gold), Loma Larga (gold and silver), Mirador Norte (copper), Ruta del Cobre (copper), Cascabel (gold, silver and copper) and Warintza (copper).