Rafael Correa Says “Illegal Miners” are Justified to be Evicted

After the confrontation between the miners of Zamora Chinchipe and the 1,500 members of the police and the military who finally accessed the Cunguimi area on Wednesday, President Rafael Correa affirmed yesterday night that the eviction of the “illegal miners” was justified because of the serious damage they’re causing on the Amazon.

“We’re supporting the craft miners.” Correa affirmed. He added they supported the action of the police because, the evicted miners pollute the territory of the jungle with their heavy machinery and they were suspicious of money laundering. The miners were not only evicted of the territory but their machinery was also taken from them.

Diego Luna, representative of the Group of Miners of the Province told EFE they were willing to dialogue with the government and added that the Guild will keep their work stalled and they’re compromised to undo the damage on the environment caused in the region, but he criticized the violence from last Wednesday.

The Shuar Indians from the region announced they will protest against the actions taken by the police and the military on the Cunguimi sector, and, according to Luna, they do this because they receive profit from the Minning activity.