According to the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), this Friday the sentence of the Protection Action on mining in the Palo Quemado and Las Pampas communities was to be known.

However, the Judicial Unit of the city of Sigchos is padlocked and access to the procedural parties is not allowed, despite the fact that the legal team of the Conaie had requested an in-person hearing, alerted the indigenous organization on its social network X.

This situation represents a violation of the rights of peoples and nationalities, as well as a violation of due process.

We demand that the right to justice and transparency be guaranteed in this judicial process, reiterated Conaie.

In turn, the National Anti-Mining Front warned about the police presence in Sigchos, while the people hold a sit-in outside the Judicial Unit there.

The Protection Action was filed by the mayor of the town of Sigchos, Oscar Monge, due to the refusal to continue with the socialization process on the La Plata mining project, of the Canadian company Atico Mining, which was being carried out by the Ministry of Environment in that parish.

Recently, United Nations (UN) experts recommended Ecuadorian authorities to guarantee environmental consultations in mining projects, in compliance with human rights standards.

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