Volunteers will support campaign against mining in Quito

Volunteers will support campaign against mining in Quito

On August 20th, residents of the municipality of Quito will not only go to the polls – like the rest of Ecuadorians – to elect the president, vice-president and members of parliament, but they will also take part in the metal mining referendum of the Chocó Andino.

In a press conference Thursday, members of the Quito Without Mining collective, supporters of the referendum, clarified that they will rely on volunteers, though on the National Electoral Council, for the campaign to ban mining, which is due to start on July 29 (CNE) provides a budget.

Victoria Jaramillo, one of the members of this group, announced that they will visit popular areas of the capital to explain to people the importance of voting against mining and for the protection of the environment.

Another young man in the group, Víctor Guamán, commented that the campaign will be “like David versus Goliath” because the companies that advocate mining have resources to further their interests.

Likewise, Guamán indicated that they will try to develop a common strategy with other social and political movements related to their goals, although he clarified that they have no affiliation with any party.

For her part, Ivonne Ramos, from the organization Acción Ecológica, recalled that the collection of signatures started a year ago and had reached the support of around 450,000 people, although the CNE had confirmed around 200,000.

The Chocó Andino is a production area of ​​sustainable and community economy that feeds the citizens, but most importantly the water that supplies part of the city of Quito comes from there, Ramos said.

In this sense, Inti Arcos, resident of the region and coordinator of the Commonwealth of Chocó Andino, stressed the importance of the referendum for the residents of this region and for everyone in general.

Covering more than 286,000 hectares, the area has been designated a Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and there are 12 mining concessions, none of which are still operating.

lam/avr