Two significant developments have occurred in the last week relating to the troubled project of Coroccohuayco, the extension of Antapaccay, Glencore’s copper enterprise in Espinar in Cuzco. The first involves the payment of ‘bonos’ or vouchers under the convenio marco, the existing framework agreement between Glencore and the communities. The second is the setting of a firm date for the re-start on 9 November of prior consultation between the authorities and the eleven communities in the zone of influence of Coroccohuayco.

Difficulties in dialogue go back many years at the project, originally the Tintaya mine. This was nationalised under General Juan Velasco and subsequently re-privatised in the 1990s. There was a ‘good’ period in the early 2000s when dialogue flourished; this was when BHP Billiton owned the mine. That broke down with violent events taking place, and a rocky history followed under the ownership of Xstrata and now Glencore.

The framework agreement that was supposed to settle relations between the company and the community has many components. It experienced difficulty in fulfilling the plans it contains for local development. One element was a sum of money held in reserve by the company in case of some disaster threatening the livelihoods of those in the ‘area of influence’ of the mine, specifying a payment of 1,000 soles (or £217) per adult on the electoral roll. Disputes broke out when community leaders argued that the Covid-19 pandemic required payment be made. The company argued that this was an inappropriate use of the fund and that it was already funding various elements of local development.

The dispute quickly widened, bringing back into play various contentious issues from previous years: the need for revision of the framework agreement, the issue of heavy metals poisoning, the criminalisation of protesters, environmental contamination, and the lack of prior consultation.

When Miguel Incháustegui was appointed minister of mines and energy, he opted to spend his first day in office, 7 August, in Espinar talking to all parties. Success was marred by a group of protesters who wanted cash payments, not vouchers. Much effort has since gone into restoring consensus, and vouchers, the tarjetas multiusos, will now be paid and the renewal of prior consultation will begin on 9 November with various preliminary meetings planned.

The minister continues his insistence on dialogue: “The best way to get projects moving is listening to each other, talking and seeking solutions. It is important to recover confidence among ourselves”, he underlined.