After 14 hours of intense negotiation, Presidential Cabinet Chief Jorge Del Castillo confirmed Thursday that the government and the Moqueguan authorities had reached an agreement to end the strike that paralyzed southern Peru for 9 days.
Details of the settlement were not immediately release. Del Castillo said Moquegua residents, who demanded a larger share of taxes paid to Lima by Peru’s largest copper producer, would be the first to know the details of the 8-point deal.
“We have reached an important agreement that puts an end to the existing conflict and that brings peace back to the Moquegua region,” Del Castillo told a news conference Thursday.
According to Radio Uno, the deal includes the transfer of 447 million soles, or about $158 million, to Moquegua — the Ministry of Energy and Mines triggered the strike by initially offering 189 million soles — and these funds will be used to finance public works in the poorest districts.
The Moquegua miners’ strike, strongly backed by the local population, blocked off kilometers 1,142 through 1,147 of the Pan-American Highway, as well as access to Southern Peru Copper Corporation’s Ilo smelter and Cuajone mine, since June 10.
Sixty-six officers and the regional police commander, Gen. Alberto Jordan, were taken hostage by protesters Monday and — according to Jordan — threatened with lynching before they were released more than 24 hours later Tuesday evening.
Demands included the transfer of 469 million soles — the equivalent of 52 percent of the mining company’s royalties – to the regional government of Moquegua.
“The State has recognized that it must redistribute royalties according to the quantity of extracted mineral,” Moquegua Mayor Mauricio Nina told CNR radio, adding that he was nevertheless dissatisfied with the deal.
Around 15:00 local time, protesters began to clear stones and logs from the Pan-American Highway and the Montalvo Bridge, but many stayed behind to stand guard as they awaited the return of their delegates from Lima.
Moquegua residents must accept the provisions included in the 8-point agreement negotiated by their representatives in Lima to bring the strike to a definitive end.
Though approximately 20 trucks were allowed to transit to Tacna, the neighboring department which has been in short supply of food and fuel since the strike began, hundreds of Tacna locals — empty pots and pans in hand — took to the streets for a second consecutive day to request the Moqueguans put a definitive end to their strike.
The road blockades, according to Peru’s Ministry of Transportation, have left more than 150,000 people and 3,000 vehicles stranded. They have also left Peru’s southernmost department of Tacna totally cut off, obliging the government to ship food, water and fuel by sea.
The Minster of Defense Antero Florez-Araoz, the Minister of Justice Rosario Fernandez, the Minister of Energy and Mines Juan Valdivia and the Minister of Economy and Finance Luis Carranza attended the 14 hour negotiation alongside the dean of Moquegua’s Teachers College, Hugo Quispe Mamani, church representative Rev. Martin Ayala Roldan, dean of Moquegua’s law school Guillermo Kuong, 16 local mayors and Moquegua’s legislative representative, Congressman Washington Zevallos.
