Ombudsman in Peru Asks Gov To Renew Emergency State in Amazon

Due to illegal mining in the Amazon, the Peruvian Ombudsman's Office requested the government to reinstate a state of emergency in the departments of Madre de Dios and Loreto.

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According to the entity, what is sought is the continuity of police operations against illegal mining to guarantee public safety and order.

A statement from the Ombudsman's Office said that "notwithstanding the levels of affectation that it (the state of emergency) represents for the population of both localities, the Ombudsman, Eliana Revollar, asked the Prime Minister, Aníbal Torres, to evaluate the reestablishment of the state of emergency."

It referred to the "weakening of state actions to combat and neutralize illegal mining in the departments of Madre de Dios and Loreto."

Illegal mining has invaded the Palma Real creek, within the Tambopata National Reserve, on the border between Peru and Bolivia. We traveled to this area of Madre de Dios to investigate how this illegal activity threatens communities. 

According to the Ombudsman's Office, complaints from several local authorities and citizens about the presence of foreign mafias dedicated to this crime justified the measure.

As a result of illegal mining in the Amazon, an activity dedicated to gold extraction, deforestation of forests, and river pollution continues to have a detrimental impact on the lives of resident communities.