The National Handmade Miners (Confmin) announced that more than 20,000 miners will mobilize in protest if the government does not modify the decree that regulates the use of explosives before August 17.
Franco Máximo Bécquer, president of the guild, warned that they will suspend their participation in the technical table and will take to the streets if their claims are not served, because they consider that the norm will exclude thousands of miners in the process of formalization.
During his speech, Bécquer described the dialogue table as “a deaf table” and accused the Executive of ignoring the needs of the sector. He pointed out that there are not enough dusts to comply with the regulation and warned that, if there are no changes, protests will be activated in several regions of the country.
They demand respect for the right to work
The leader affirmed that the measure affects the right to work of thousands of miners seeking to formalize. “Where are we going to save the polvorines?”he questioned.
As explained, the norm requires impossible technical requirements in many areas, which would generate a massive exclusion of workers who want to legally operate.
In addition, Bécquer denounced an alleged intention of the government to favor “other interests” to harm the artisanal mining sector.
He assured that the decree does not offer viable alternatives and warned that his guild will not abandon the formalization process, but will require fair conditions.
The leader of Confemin reproached the absence of concrete proposals of the Government during the last meeting of the Technical Table, in which ministers, congressmen and representatives of the Ombudsman and the Prosecutor’s Office participated.
“It is not heard, the problem is not analyzed and not resolved”he said.
