What the parties’ plans show does not always coincide with what the candidates promise. In a review of the government plans of the main organizations in the electoral race this 2026, Peru21 has detected that at least ten of them have not established a firm position to rule out a new expansion of the Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry (Reinfo).
For experts on the subject, such as the former president of the Mining Society Carlos Gálvez, the fact that a party does not clearly establish that it will not expand the Reinfo again or that it will put an end to that registry – used by some illegal miners to carry out their dirty operations – would result in opening the door for illegal mining to continue infiltrating the system.
And it is not the only warning point. This medium has identified that, in several cases – as occurred during the review of the proposals on a new Constitution—, the government plans support one position, while the candidates of those same parties express a different one.
TOGETHER FOR PERU (JP): REDUCTION OF CONCESSION TIME
It is no secret to anyone that Together for Peru (JP) is an official ally of illegal mining, just as Peru21 revealed it in 2025, when his Senate candidate, Victor Cutipachaired the Energy and Mines commission, and under his leadership and at the initiative of his bench they extended the Reinfo until the end of 2026.
Government Plan of Together for Peru.
Now, in their government plan, they project the creation of “mining parks”, where the State would support informal miners by entering as partners in the extraction process.
“A public policy will be implemented to support small miners in the value chain, from extraction to benefit. To this end, financial mechanisms will be established to implement mining parks, which must be managed, in a first stage, in co-ownership between the State and the miners associated in cooperatives…”, states a part of the text.
But the most alarming thing is that J.P. —which has the former Minister of Foreign Trade of Pedro Castillo as its presidential candidate, Roberto Sanchez— intends for the extinct mining concessions to come under the control of the State and then be granted to small miners associated in cooperatives.
For this purpose, they propose reducing the expiration period of mining concessions, from 30 years to four or five years, so that they can be transferred to small and artisanal mining.
For the former president of the SNMPE, Carlos Gálvez, reducing the lifespan of mining concessions is not only destabilizing the country, but also “discouraging” investment because a project cannot be carried out “in five years”, and it is also practically taking away the concession in that short time from the businessman, in order to hand it over to informal miners, who in many cases are mixed with illegal miners.
WE WILL WIN AND WE CAN: REVERSAL OF CONCESSIONS
They use other terms on paper, but in practice it is the same: reversing inefficient mining concessions.
But who is going to decide which concession is unproductive? According to the plans of Venceremos and Podemos, the government in power will do that work, that is, political power.
Venceremos Government Plan.
The Venceremos alliance, which has as its presidential candidate Ronald Atencioproposes the reversion of unproductive mining concessions.
“We will modify the Constitution to guarantee sovereignty over the natural resources of metallic and non-metallic mining, and we will reform the mechanisms for granting concessions to industrialize, control the destination of production, ensure participation of the communities that own the surface under exploitation in the shareholding of the companies; and revoke, expire or expropriate idle concessions,” the text states.
In addition, the anti-mining candidate for deputy of Venceremos for Piura, Olivarez Gonzais an active opponent of the Tía María mining project in Arequipa.
Along the same lines, José Luna’s populist Podemos party proposes the same thing as Venceremos: “The recovery of idle mining concessions for the public interest,” says the text of its government plan.
The candidate for the Senate and the second vice presidency of Podemos, Raúl Noblecilla, explained to this medium why they plan to reverse the unproductive mining concessions.
“We have more than 20 million hectares concessioned to large-scale mining, only 1% is productive. What causes this? A total disproportion, because it prevents artisanal and ancestral miners from having the right to work…”, he explained.
Can He also indicates in his document that he will formalize mining, but his position is contradictory to what he did in Congress last year. In the paper it now says that it will support the “comprehensive formalization of small artisanal and ancestral mining, with clear rules, labor rights and demands for environmental responsibility.”
However, a bill from your congressman and Senate candidate, Guido Bellidopresented at the end of 2025, proposed extending the Reinfo until 2029, when that registry, which is 10 years old, has been considered a failure by the National Mining Society (SNMPE).
That is, Bellido proposed continuing with informality.
PTE AND NOW NATION: ANTIMINERS
In the government plan, Now Nationwhose presidential candidate is Alfonso López, indicates that it will fight against illegal mining, but it also does not put an end to the epicenter of the problem: Reinfo.
Now Nation Government Plan.
And what it requires on the issue of mining formalization is the following: “Comprehensively redesign the mining formalization process, simplifying procedures, establishing clear deadlines and differentiating territories and typologies of miners.”
Remember that only 2.4% of miners who were in Reinfo were formalized and that their goal is to reach 50%, but it does not say when.
We asked Ahora Nación if they are in favor of the plan to revert idle mining concessions, as proposed by JP and Venceremos—who, like them, are promoting a new Constitution—but we did not receive a response.
Peru21 In its edition of January 4 of this year, it identified the former premier of Pedro Castillo, Mirtha Vasquezwho is running as a guest for the Senate with number 4 for Now Nationas an anti-mining figure within López Chau’s party.
In a recent statement to Cajamarca radio Continente, Vásquez recalled that the Conga project, in Cajamarca, is paralyzed, reiterated his opposition to it and expressed his concern about the Government’s intention to move Tía María forward.
For the former head of the SNMPE, Carlos Gálvez, the opposition to Conga opened the door to illegal mining because there is currently a presence of this illicit activity in that sector.
Along the same lines, the Workers and Entrepreneurs Party (PTE) He has not stated in his government plan that he plans to renegotiate all legal contracts, including mining concessions, but his presidential candidate – in communication with this newspaper – Napoleón Becerra has said that “yes” he will do so.
PTE Government Plan.
As a symbol of the anti-mining fight that it will carry out, the PTE presents two well-known anti-miners as candidates for the Bicameral Congress: the Amazonian indigenous leader goes to the Senate Alberto Pizangor —protagonist of the Baguazo (2009), which left 33 dead—for opposing two decree laws that opened the possibility of private investment in the Jungle, such as mining concessions, without prior consultation.
Next to him, with the same PTE shirt, the Cajamarcan peasant is running for the Senate. Maxima Acuñaawarded for opposing Conga, and seeking a seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
The question is: will these parties be in favor of signing a pact to never expand Reinfo again and respect the concessions?
I KNEW THAT
Free Peru and Popular Cooperation: Silence says a lot
For the former president of the SNMPE, Carlos Gálvez, the fact that a party – as is the case of Free Peru and Popular Cooperationr— not be clear in stating in your government plan that you will not expand the Reinfo again and respect the mining concessions and not reverse them, it would tacitly represent hidden support for these measures.
Above all that Free Peruthrough Congressman Flavio Cruz, candidate for the Senate and the second vice presidency, proposed reversing the idle mining concessions in 2025.
Government Plan of Peru Libre.
Popular Cooperation Government Plan.
Popular Force and Alliance for Progress: Credits to informal miners
Inaction in FP, APP and Popular Renewal
The positions of the Alianza Para el Progreso (APP), Fuerza Popular (FP) and Renovación Popular parties are lukewarm regarding whether they will once again support a new expansion of the Reinfo in the next Bicameral Congress.
None of the three groups mentions it in their government plan, reviewed by this newspaper.
However, in communication with Peru21the FP spokespersons, Miguel ‘Miki’ Torres – candidate for the second vice presidency and Senate – and Luis Valdez, from APP, ruled out that their parties would support this measure again.
Popular Force Government Plan.
PPP Government Plan.
Beyond this, both groups have in their government plans a proposal that is contradictory to that approach: giving credit to informal miners.
This initiative, according to the former head of the SNMPE, Carlos Gálvez, “does not encourage formalization,” because these loans should be given to them once they are formal.
Exactly, FP in its government plan proposes the “creation of a State Guarantee Fund for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining, intended to support credit operations and facilitate access to formal financing,” and APP promises to treat informal miners “as entrepreneurs in transition and not as criminals with access to training, credit and market.”
Popular Renewal Government Plan.
PLEASE NOTE
-“Illegal mining brings a series of problems associated with citizen insecurity. Illegal mining leads to hitmen, extortion, smuggling, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking, logging and land trafficking. It is a very complex agent of promoting organized crime in the country,” he explained to Peru21 the former vice minister of the Interior, Ricardo Valdés.
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