11 November 2010 | Interviews | Extractive industries
They Said NO
Costa Rican Parliament banned open pit metal mining
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The support of 50 MPs in the first discussion and 49 in the second was fundamental. The Costa Rican Parliament passed a modification to the Mining Code which bans new extractive open pit metal mining projects.
This is the first Latin American country that decides to halt this dangerous activity. Real World Radio interviewed Mauricio Alvares, an expert on extractive industries. The Oilwatch activist and university professor said that the decision was made despite transnational mining company Crucitas carried out a strong campaign in the media worth over 7 million dollars.
Alvares also said that the corporations “couldn´t even convince one MP” or change the opinion of the Costa Rican population, who rejected by 90% the installation of an open pit mine in the border with Nicaragua.
“The situation is difficult for them, because now the legality of the concession is being questioned”, said the leader, who stated that this decision is “excellent news” for the resistance to extractive industries.
He also said that there aren´t many countries in the world that banned mining (Hungary and Germany did so in this decade), and said that he was confident that this moratorium will be an example for other countries.
“The communities have to know that they are not asking for the impossible. There are reasons to feel that their claims are supported”, he concluded.
