Businessmen ask to reconsider mining restriction in Ecuador

Quito, Aug 28 (Prensa Latina) The Ecuadorian Business Committee on Monday asked the Constitutional Court to reconsider the temporary suspension of the executive decree allowing the country´s Environment Ministry to grant licenses for mining exploitation.

August 28, 2023
17:37

The businessmen claimed that a total of 176 processes are being paralyzed, which in the short term will have a negative $2 billion impact.

On August 1, the Court issued a precautionary measure in response to a request from the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) against Decree 754, which regulates environmental consultations for mining and productive projects in the communities. The constitutional watchdog considered ‘credible, imminent and potentially harmful’ the consultation procedures as they appear in the challenged regulation.

Activists pointed out this measure, signed by President Guillermo Lasso on May 31, violates the rights of the communities affected by mining activity and confuses environmental consultation with the free, prior and informed consultation established in the Constitution.

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