Peru protests disrupt key copper transport road

Reuters Wednesday October 19, 2022 14:21

Oct 19 (Reuters) - A Peruvian community on Wednesday began a blockade of a key copper transport corridor, marking another episode of protests that have disrupted mining operations in the region.

The blockade was organized in the district of Colquemarca, in Peru's Andean Cusco region, the Mining Conflicts Observatory said on Twitter, adding that protesters were demanding a "budget for development projects."

The Observatory also reported a separate blockade further down the road in Cusco's Espinar province.

Reuters was not able to independently verify those reports.

Given the location of the protest, copper mines affected include MMG's Las Bambas, Hudbay's Constancia and Glencore's Antapaccay.

Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer.

The episode follows other blockades that have disrupted the corridor, although usually only targeting Las Bambas. Last month, a group of indigenous Peruvian communities agreed to a truce after blockading an important copper corridor in the country.

(Reporting by Carolina Pulice Editing by Bill Berkrot)