The Colombian Mining Association (ACM) expressed its rejection of theThe violent acts against the Buriticá gold mineoperated by Zijin Continental Gold, in Antioquia. The attack with explosives would have been perpetrated by illegal groups that finance themselves from the illicit extraction of minerals.
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According to the operating company, the incident occurred at around 2:47 am when the illegal mining organizations They carried out a violent invasion. The launching of high-powered homemade bombs against underground facilities was also reported, which caused the serious destruction of the electrical substation and the disabling of the backup power source.
Given this event, the ACM pointed out that this act “Not only does it represent a serious threat to the lives of thousands of workers, but it also seeks to destabilize legal operations in the region, to favor the expansion of criminal and terrorist gangs.”
The union also highlighted that this accident is not isolated, since in less than a month there have been three attacks on mining operations in different parts of the national territory. In the particular case of Buriticá, he mentioned that the situation is “an alarming example of the vulnerability of the Colombian productive sector and its companies.”
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Attack on Buriticá mine
Private file
The president of the association, Juan Camilo Nariño, indicated that “It is unacceptable that illegal groups continue to act with total impunity, putting at risk not only the lives and safety of workers, but also the economic stability of entire communities that depend on legal mining. These attacks not only seek to strip the country of its resources, but also to weaken the institutional order and trust in the State.”
Along the same lines, The ACM emphasized that the situation threatens 1,500 direct employees, 2,500 contractors and 12 mining formalization companies, for a total of 7,000 people affected in the region.
“The ACM categorically demands that the National Government take immediate and forceful measures to guarantee security in the area and protect legal operations and the lives of collaborators. It is necessary to strengthen security, combat criminal networks and guarantee stability in the territory “, Nariño added.
The attack in Buriticá forced the mine’s operation to be temporarily stopped. The company reported that, so far, there is one injured.
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