In the midst of the Binding Regional Dialogue that took place in the municipality of Barrancabermeja, Irene Vélez, the Minister of Mines and Energyreferred to the future of the mining and oil sector in the country.
This is one of the issues that has generated the most debate about the postulates of the government of Gustavo Petro. The head of the portfolio assured: “Let this be the opportunity to share our visions of Government and dismantle some of the myths that have been created in us in the more than two months that we have been in Government. It has been said that we want to end all mining and that is false”.
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Likewise, the minister assured that many small miners, artisanal miners and subsistence miners have not been able to have their rights recognized since “they were not aware of the administrative processes or because these are too costly or cumbersome to achieve legal status.”
Along with this, he added that for several decades the State has criminalized small miners by calling them illegal and categorizing them outside the State “for not having achieved that status of legality.”
According to Minister Irene Vélez, the amendment to the Mining Code that it seeks to achieve will allow small miners, traditional miners and subsistence miners “to achieve their rights that have been denied for decades. Our policy proposes that this use of subsoil resources benefit all Colombians”.
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Another of the ‘myths’ highlighted by the Minister of Mines and Energy is the idea that oil exploration and exploitation will end in the country. “I want to tell you that it is false because the existing contracts will be respected and we are absolutely committed to making the best management of those contracts that we have today“, said.
He also assured that a better management in this sector can imply greater productivity. “It will give us the time and it will give us the resources to make the necessary transition,” he said. According to the minister, this energy transition is going to be “gradual, safe, responsible and for the benefit of all”.
He explained that from his portfolio the exploration and production contracts that have been signed in previous years are being reviewed. Also those who are detained or suspended are being managed.
“Our decisions are responsible with the citizens, with the sector and with the workers of the energy mining sector. Our Government will lay these foundations for the transition, guaranteeing reliability and stability in the energy system and ensuring that the sources of employment that this sector has provided for decades will not collapse.“, said Minister Irene Vélez.
Vélez also highlighted the need for lfree themselves from the dependency that exists on these resources. “The transition means being aware that every time these resources are exhausted, we need to build other economies both on a national and territorial scale,” he pointed out.
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In addition, he assured that it is necessary to recognize that the resources of the subsoil are finite and, like all finite resources, “We must be aware of the need to overcome our dependency on this resource. The transition means being aware that every time these resources are exhausted, we need to build other economies both nationally and territorially”.
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