La Republica reports (http://www.larepublica.pe/19-04-2015/consulta-previa-no-procede-para-el-proyecto-tia-maria) that the Vice-Minister for Intercultural Affairs, Patricia Balbuena, has ruled out prior consultation with people living in the Tambo Valley concerning the Tía María project. She claims that “prior consultation is only done where there are projects that are going to affect the collective rights of indigenous peoples” and that there are no identified indigenous people living in the valley. She also pointed out that the Ministry to which she belongs is only able to organise prior consultation for projects starting after 2012 (when the law came into force) and that the Tía María project began before that date.