Protesters vow to halt work at Peru copper mines amid political unrest

Peruvian protesters have threatened to disrupt operations at Glencore’s Antapaccay and MMG’s Las Bambas copper mines, demanding fresh general elections, the country’s La Republica newspaper has reported.

The protests were triggered by the impeachment and detention of the South American country’s former president Pedro Castillo. The demonstrators are demanding early presidential elections and the closure of Congress.

Seven protesters were reported killed in the clashes. According to the police, 119 police officers were injured, another six were kidnapped by the demonstrators, and some airports and stretches of railway were blocked.

On 7 December, Castillo dissolved parliament, which was due to consider his impeachment for the third time. However, the parliamentarians went ahead with the meeting and decided to remove Castillo from office. The military and police opposed the president's move to shut down the legislature, and he was detained on charges of abuse of power. Vice President Dina Boluarte was sworn in as the head of state, becoming Peru's first female president. She swiftly proposed to hold early presidential elections in 2024.

In 2021, the Las Bambas mine produced 383,600 tons of copper, while Antapaccay’s output was 197,000 tons.