Mining strike: protesters lift 80% of the blockades

After suspending the dialogue table carried out by national and departmental authorities with the pro-mining committee of the Lower Caucathe governor of antioch, TOnibal Gaviria, announced that 80 percent of the blockades that obstructed the municipalities of the region had been lifted.

This after, after finishing the dialogue table that took place this Friday in Caucasia, the National government ordered the intervention of the Public force to lift the blockade points that affected municipalities of the Lower Cauca and Northeast of Antioquia and south of Córdoba.

(More than 10 mining companies have been affected by the mining strike in Antioquia).

“A significant breakthrough was achieved this Friday. The miners’ representatives declared that they were moving away from the violent demonstrations and that they were secluded in some points in different municipalities to continue concentrating there. This while the national, departmental and mayoral governments made progress in the decision to recover the roads that were obstructed and make a preventive presence there and in the urban cases of the municipalities“Gaviria said on Friday night.

In these populations there were shortages of food and medicines. In addition, in some cases, it was reported that the humanitarian caravans were not passing through the blockade points. Medical centers in Caucasia and El Bagre declared a hospital red alert and suspended the provision of services.

(Labor and pension reform: discussion commission is installed on Monday).

The National Police confirmed simultaneous and massive procedures in critical points of Bajo Cauca and south of Córdoba to lift the blockades. The operations were carried out by the Dialogue and Order Maintenance Unit.

“With these interventions, mobility is guaranteed, in the face of the disturbance of land transport, enabling the mobility of people, food, medicines and transport in general.“, assured from the Police.

(Unions and unions will sit down to talk about the labor reform).

The governor indicated that they are evaluating how these tasks are progressing to continue with the dialogue table, at least with regard to the Interior.

“We are going to evaluate how the work to prevent any disturbances is progressing. With respect to any possibility of dialogue, as for the departmental government, it will review that they disassociate themselves from violent actions and obviously that the territory is free of the threats and intimidation of the last daysGaviria added.

(Vice Ministers, stop mining strike).

During the meeting this Friday, the spokesmen for the strike committee made a proposal to the delegates of the National Governmentl to allow the protest to continue until the installation of a technical table is achieved to solve the problem of illegal mining in Bajo Cauca.

“We request that you help us and guarantee us to listen there, because the idea is to make ourselves visible peacefully. We are not part of, we do not accept and we reject all blockades. It’s not about us“Saúl Bedoya, spokesman for the protesters, told EL TIEMPO.

And I add: “The proposal consists of entering into a de-escalation of the protest, where we are detached from these compelling facts, as long as we can negotiate in the midst of the peaceful protest.“.

(Conflict grows in oil and mining areas of the country).

According to the protest leader, the idea is to identify the people who are blocking the roads, so that the Public Force can investigate and intervene. For this, the protesters will gather at 10 points throughout the region.

These are: in Caucasian, in the covered coliseum sector; towards the coast, in Campo Alegre, the San Jorge bridge and Puerto Libertador; and towards the interior of Antioquia, in Jardín, Guarumo, Tarazá, El Doce, Puerto Valdivia and Valdivia.

WEATHER – NATION