A South American trade bloc ruled Monday that Peru is failing to meet its commitments to curb illegal gold mining and mercury trafficking, siding with Indigenous groups who say their Amazon rivers and food supply are being poisoned.<\/p>\n
The decision by the Andean Community \u2014 which includes Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia \u2014 orders Peru to urgently reform its laws, seize machinery that sucks up river sediment and other mining equipment, and end extensions of a registry for informal miners that critics say shields illegality. <\/p>\n
It is the first time the Andean Community has taken up a case of this kind and formally ruled against a member country as authorities try to find mechanisms to crack down on the growing trade. <\/p>\n
Illegal gold mining has spread widely across the Amazon as global demand and soaring gold prices make the trade increasingly lucrative. Analysts expect gold will see gains toward $4,000 per ounce by 2026. Mercury is widely used to separate gold from sediment, but it contaminates waterways, accumulates in fish and builds up in human bodies \u2014 posing particular risks to children and pregnant women.<\/p>\n
Peru has 20 working days to comply and report what steps it has taken or plans to take to bring its laws into line. If it fails, the case could be referred to the bloc\u2019s Tribunal of Justice, which has the power to impose binding trade sanctions on member states.<\/p>\n
The complaint was filed at the end of June by a coalition of Indigenous and rural communities from the Nanay River basin, who say mercury from illegal gold mining is poisoning fish and rivers in Peru\u2019s northern Amazon. Hair samples collected in the area have shown mercury levels far above World Health Organization safety limits, and researchers have linked exposure to rashes, stomach illness and neurological damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some way it is a response to the demands of communities affected by mercury contamination, and it is also a message for other countries that they must make the effort to comply and to respect everyone\u2019s right to live in a healthy and adequate environment,\u201d said Peruvian environmental lawyer, C\u00e9sar Ipenza.<\/p>\n
Ipenza said that if the country fails to comply, the sanctions would be economic, such as tariffs on Peruvian products within the four Andean nations. The decision could also set precedent and lead to rulings against other countries, he said. <\/p>\n
Peru has launched occasional crackdowns on illegal mercury, including the 2019 \u201cOperation Mercury\u201d raid in the Madre de Dios region in the Peruvian Amazon and a record seizure of contraband mercury earlier this year at the port of Callao. But Indigenous groups say enforcement remains patchy and corrupt networks allow the trade to flourish.<\/p>\n
The AP did not receive a response for a request to comment from either Peru\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism or Ministry of Culture, the government office that oversees Indigenous affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a warning to the countries that are destinations for the gold. They must have greater clarity about its origin,\u00a8 Ipenza said. <\/p>\n
\u00a8They need due diligence mechanisms beyond just paperwork, to prevent trading in gold that comes from the destruction of the Amazon, from contamination and from the violation of fundamental human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
The Associated Press\u2019 climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP\u2019s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A South American trade bloc ruled Monday that Peru is failing to meet its commitments to curb illegal gold mining and mercury trafficking, siding with Indigenous groups who say their Amazon rivers and food supply are being poisoned. The decision by the Andean Community \u2014 which includes Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia \u2014 orders Peru […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4940,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n