The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamadpledged on Monday to “close all the mines” illegal of the Farallones de Cali National Natural Park and installed a Unified Command Post (UCP) to work with local authorities towards this goal.
This inter-institutional working body is part of phase two of the control operations against this scourge, Since the first one was carried out between November and December 2023 and three large mines were closed, 200 miners were evacuated and 60% of the problem was controlled..
(You can read: What is the status of the EPS that is in the process of withdrawing from the health system?).
“There are still six mines open and they remain a threat to the national park. The objective of this command post is to enter into an inter-institutional group for the closure of all the mines.“Muhamad said in a statement to the press.
In the PMU there is a presence of Cali Mayor’s Office, the Governor’s Office of Valle del Cauca, the Attorney General’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Military Forces and the National Police.
(Besides: Bogotá presented a commission of economic experts: who is part of it and how it will work).
Environment Minister Susana Muhamad.
“The Prosecutor’s Office has already issued 27 arrest warrants, and it has also been determined that the structures that control these mines come from the department of Cauca.“, the minister pointed out.
Illegal resources and ecotourism
According to Muhamad, research indicates that there are “a confluence of legal mining and illegal investments” and added that “There is no intermediation of illegal armed groups, but it is clearly a fairly large illegal structure.”.
(Besides: The Brazilian Amazon faces its worst drought since 1950).
The senior official also stated that With the operations carried out against illegal mining, the mines are no longer so profitable..
“Last year we had informal settlements, mule routes that went up with large quantities of supplies. Today they are no longer there and it complicates the operation.“, the minister insisted.
Los Farallones National Natural Park
For its part, the Mayor of Cali, Alejandro Ederindicated that they are working with the communities that inhabit the edges of the national park to promote sustainability through ecotourism.
“We are promoting projects to promote a culture of environmental protection, and with the Humboldt Institute we will set up a permanent research center in the park. It is unacceptable that, in Cali, a biodiverse city, we have illegal mining within the same city.“Eder insisted.
(We recommend: Petro government warned that investment in 2025 depends on the financing law).
In turn, the governor of Valle, Dilian Francisca Toroindicated that a project will be presented 14 billion Colombian pesos (more than three million dollars) for “Restore soil, promote restorative agriculture and agroecology”.
Seizure of items from alleged miners in Farallones de Cali
“With this we will give opportunities to our farmers, promoting economic sustainability and preserving the environment.”, Toro concluded. In the coming days, the Colombian public force will debunk mines as part of this strategy.
This year, Cali is hosting COP16, the most important biodiversity summit in the world.
EFE
