From fugitive to governor, a Peruvian mining foe rises again

Bear Creek Mining

15/11/2018 24:23

By Marco Aquino
    LIMA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - For most of this year, Walter
Aduviri, the governor-elect of Peru's Andean region of Puno, had
been a fugitive.
    The indigenous activist, 38, went into hiding after losing a
sedition trial last year over deadly protests he led against
Canadian mining company Bear Creek  BCM.V  in 2011.
    All that changed in October. His 7-year sentence was
annulled and he was elected governor of Puno, home to deep
deposits of gold, silver, uranium and lithium that miners plan
to excavate through $2 billion of proposed projects.
    In his first interview with foreign media since his victory,
Aduviri - who will take office in January - said he would
continue to oppose mining that lacks clear benefits to
communities in Puno, one of Peru's poorest and most lawless
regions, near the border with Bolivia.
    A trained accountant and an admirer of Bolivian President
Evo Morales, the fellow Aymara Indian said he and other Peruvian
activists have been unfairly prosecuted for opposing mining.
    "There's shameless pillaging taking place," Aduviri told
Reuters late on Tuesday during his visit to the capital Lima,
where he said the country's elites treat him with suspicion. "As
a country with immense natural resources, unfortunately, we
aren't seeing the benefits."
    The comments do not bode well for foreign mining companies
operating in Puno, such as Vancouver-based Bear Creek and
Plateau Energy Metals  PLU.V .
    Bear Creek declined to comment on Aduviri's remarks, but
said in a statement it works "diligently, alongside all levels
of government, for the benefit of all Peruvians, local and
nationwide."
    Plateau, which has plans to tap a lithium and uranium
deposit in Puno, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
    As governor, Aduviri cannot unilaterally halt any mining
project. But he will have a bigger platform from which to turn
up the pressure on Peru's most important industry, and could
draw attention as a rare nationalist voice ahead of 2021
presidential elections.  
    Aduviri said he would oppose any effort to restart Bear
Creek's Santa Ana silver project, which sparked the unrest that
left five protesters dead in 2011. "Santa Ana is vetoed,"
Aduviri said. "It's impossible."
    But he added that he might support the company's $585
million silver mine Corani if Puno residents approve of the
project in public hearings.
    Aduviri called for centrist President Martin Vizcarra to
nationalize control of strategic raw materials as Bolivia has
under Morales. "If Peru wants to manage its natural resources
more responsibly, we have to copy the Bolivian model," he said.
    

 (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Mitra Taj; Editing by
Richard Chang)
 ((mitra.taj@thomsonreuters.com; +51 (1) 277-9550; Reuters
Messaging: mitra.taj.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))