Peru Enforces Curfew Following Tragic Murder of 13 Mine Workers

In response to the brutal killing of 13 mine workers allegedly by a criminal gang, President Dina Boluarte has declared a night-time curfew in Pataz province and suspended mining activities for a month. The violence, emblematic of the ongoing battle between illegal and legal mining operations, has prompted calls for stronger security measures.

The Peruvian government has responded to escalating violence by imposing a nighttime curfew in Pataz province, following the horrendous kidnapping and murder of 13 mine workers. President Dina Boluarte announced the curfew in tandem with a one-month suspension of all mining activities, aimed at containing the region's notorious criminal gangs.

The tragic incident, which took place on April 26, involved a group of workers from La Poderosa, a gold mining company, who were abducted by what are described as "illegal miners colluding with criminals." Their bodies were discovered on Sunday, leading to further outrage among the local population and calls for justice.

In a statement, La Poderosa highlighted the severe toll that criminal violence has taken on its operations, revealing that 39 people associated with the company have lost their lives to gang-related activities in Pataz, a region located over 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of Lima. Despite an ongoing state of emergency declared in February 2024, the company's assertion emphasizes the ineffectiveness of current security measures in stabilizing the situation.

The deceased men were employed by a subcontractor, R&R, who had dispatched them to confront a gang that seized the mine. Tragically, they were ambushed and captured instead. Disturbing videos circulated by their captors displayed the men bound and without clothing in a mine shaft, fueling public outrage. Additionally, the shocking forensic evidence revealed they had been shot at close range more than a week before their bodies were discovered.

Luis Guillermo Bringas, a regional prosecutor, elaborated on the alarming state of affairs, describing the ongoing violence as a "war for mining pits" that pits illegal miners and criminals against legitimate operations. As the nation grapples with this alarming crisis, calls for enhanced security measures and better protection for workers in the mining sector grow increasingly urgent.