The Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Republic will submit today for debate and a second vote the opinion that expands the process of the Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry (Reinfo) until December 31, 2026 or until the entry into force of the Small Mining and Artisanal Mining Law (ASM) and its regulations.
In addition, it must ratify what was agreed on December 4 in the Plenary: the non-reincorporation of more than 50 thousand illegal miners and the suspension of the exclusion processes from Reinfo that are in process.
In statements to Peru21the vice president of the Energy and Mines Commission, Diana Gonzales, warned about the risk that in the Permanent session a sector of the Legislature intends to introduce modifications to the text approved by the Plenary weeks ago.
In this context, he rejected the possibility that the Permanent Commission could eventually rectify some aspects of the opinion through a substitute text.
“The Plenary rejected the return of more than 50,000 illegal miners and the Plenary is the highest authority of Parliament. Its decisions cannot be ignored or reinterpreted by lesser bodies. What was expressly excluded by the Plenary cannot be re-entered through a substitute text in the Permanent Commission,” he stressed.
He also insisted that “although there is no literal prohibition, the principle of hierarchy and respect for the sovereign will of Parliament prevails here.” “Even in an unwanted scenario, it is not appropriate to exonerate the second vote,” he stressed.
Gonzales pointed out, along these lines, that any attempt to modify the text approved in the Plenary would have to be done “necessarily in another session of the Plenary as well.”
He also maintained that “if the majority of Congress chose to support an additional period of one year in accordance with the Executive’s position, 2026 should mark the definitive beginning of the process without further setbacks or delays.”
Political decision
On the other hand, the legislator spoke about what the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) must now do to prevent new extensions of the Reinfo.
“The main challenge for the Executive is that, through the ministry, it acts with urgent and concrete measures, a refined and transparent registry, non-extendable deadlines and a real coordination with environmental inspection and law enforcement,” he indicated.
At the same time, he emphasized that there can be no more extensions or exceptions. “The 2026 goal is perfectly achievable if there is a political decision. The change of government cannot be the excuse to once again postpone a problem that the country has been dragging on for years. State policies must have continuity and from Congress we are going to exercise firm political control to guarantee that what was approved is fulfilled,” he said.
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