Colombia’s national miners protest, that was scheduled Thursday, was called off Wednesday after a deal was made between the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the confederation of small and medium-scale Colombian miners.
Confederation President Ramiro Restrepo said that the agreement suspends of police operations against informal sector miners for six months, during which legal alternatives will be sought out in order to regulate the work of unlicensed miners, with respect to mining and environmental regulations.
Restrepo said that the agreement reached had prompted miners to call off the strike that was scheduled to begin in the town of Caucasia, where miners from 25 surrounding municipalities had already begun to gather.
The mining leader expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached with the ministry because, in addition to stopping police backlash, it also addresses issues of environmental protection, social security, and free access to fuel.