Argentines mobilize against mining and in defense of water

Published at: 24/12/2025 01:41 PM

Hundreds of citizens marched in Mendoza to demand the repeal of laws 9,684 and 9,685, approved by the provincial parliament, which authorize mining projects in sensitive areas of the region. The march started from Plaza Belgrano and arrived at the Government House with the slogan “water is not negotiated”.

The regulations allow the exploitation of Mount San Jorge, in Uspallata, and the opening of more than thirty business initiatives in Malargüe. Among them is the PSJ Cobre Mendocino project, taken up by the Swiss company Zonda Metals GmbH and the Alberdi Group, questioned because they are open-pit mines in an area of water importance.

The demonstrators defended the validity of Law 7722, which since 2007 prohibits the use of toxic substances such as cyanide and mercury in metal extraction. The socio-environmental assemblies rejected the official interpretation that excludes chemical substances from the new draft of this ban, warning of risks to the environment and the population, according to a press release from Telesur.

The day recalled the protests of 2019, when the intention to amend Law 7722 caused roadblocks and the so-called “Day of Kindness” in the Uco Valley, a historic territory linked to the exploits of San Martín and today a symbol of resistance against the advance of megaminas.

Mazo News Team