Mexico City, Mexico – The Mexican Ministry of the Interior (Secretaría de Gobernación) has extended an invitation for a meeting with ejidatarios from Carrizalillo, Guerrero, in Mexico City next Monday. This development follows the complete closure of the Los Filos mine, operated by the Canadian company Equinox Gold, in the municipality of Eduardo Neri.
Ministry of the Interior Offers Dialogue After Mine Closure
Sources from the agrarian community, speaking via telephone, confirmed that the Ministry of the Interior has scheduled a meeting with Undersecretary César Yáñez Centeno. This comes as the ejidatarios maintain a total blockade of the mine, demanding action against alleged environmental illicit activities by Equinox Gold.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) also proposed a meeting for Tuesday. However, the ejidatarios expressed concern that Semarnat intends to condition dialogue on allowing a maintenance brigade to enter the Los Filos mine. The ejidatarios reiterated that the blockade was implemented by their assembly as a pressure tactic to compel federal authorities to address the company’s environmental transgressions.
Environmental Violations and Partial Closures
Since October, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has partially shut down five areas of the mine due to the company’s failure to comply with environmental corrective measures. These include the underground mine, two waste rock dumps (tepetateras), and two leach pads. The ejidatarios emphasized that without genuine demands or legal repercussions from the government for these violations, the company continues to offer what they consider inadequate compensation, such as 50 pesos per hectare for one month to access ejido lands for mine corrections, even though three of the affected areas are not on ejido property.
On Tuesday afternoon, the ejidatarios removed the company’s maintenance brigade from Los Filos, which had been allowed access since the suspension of activities for basic maintenance of the leach pads, irrigation, and repumping systems. A press release was issued on Wednesday, indicating that discussions were ongoing.
Ejidatarios Demand Real Accountability
The ejidatarios confirmed only the Monday meeting at the Ministry of the Interior, with no specific time yet, and stated that the Tuesday meeting at Semarnat was still tentative. They explained that the total closure of the mine necessitates shutting down the irrigation system for the acidified solution in the leach pads. They affirmed their commitment to responsibly manage this to prevent environmental damage, despite the company’s ongoing non-compliance with environmental regulations.
The community leaders stressed that the violation of their rights cannot supersede the right to life, asserting that “no agency has forcefully put this on the table as a priority or a constitutional obligation.” They are seeking more than just maintenance access; they demand a comprehensive resolution to the environmental issues and fair treatment from both the company and the government.
The situation at Los Filos underscores the ongoing tensions between mining operations, local communities, and environmental regulations in Mexico. The upcoming meetings in Mexico City are crucial for determining the future of the mine and the well-being of the affected ejidatario communities.
Source: https://suracapulco.mx/ya-ofrecio-gobernacion-una-reunion-con-los-ejidatarios-en-cdmx-informa-carrizalillo/
