Anti-Mining Protesters in Peru Win Temporary Victory

Two months of protests by farmers and workers against the Tia María copper mine in the southern Arequipa region of Peru have forced the Southern Copper Corporation to shut down its project for 60 days. For the moment, local people have stopped protesting but promise to resume the demonstrations whenever they may be necessary to stop the mine that they charge will pollute the area and destroy agriculture. The Tia Maria struggle is one of 112 mining conflicts registered in Peru in the month of April. According to the Ombudsman, there were 229 social conflicts in the country that month, of which 175 are still active. The majority are sparked by environmental damage caused by extractive industries. In 2013 the government began to issue a series of legal packages to make environmental standards flexible and favorable to these industries, but activists say the packets have worsened the social crisis and have not even achieved their stated purpose of stimulating the economy and encouraging investment. At this rate, observers believe that the social conflicts can only continue. Rael Mora reports from Peru for teleSUR.