The Congress backtracks on the fight against illegal mining: a step backwards in protecting the environment and labor rights.

The Congress of the Republic has taken a controversial step by approving a bill that hinders efforts to combat illegal mining in the country. This illicit activity, which moves around US$4 billion annually according to figures from the National Society of Mining, Petroleum, and Energy, not only has a devastating impact on the environment, especially in the jungle, but also fuels a criminal network that involves human trafficking, child labor exploitation, hired killings, and even the murder of environmental defenders. The approved bill repeals a complementary provision of Legislative Decree 1607, issued by the Executive in December to combat illegal mining. This provision allowed the police to act against those individuals enrolled in the mining formalization process whose registration in the Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry (Reinfo) was suspended. Furthermore, it granted deadlines for illegal miners to rectify their situation. It is concerning that the majority of those enrolled in Reinfo (79% of 87,146) have their registration suspended, demonstrating the lack of real commitment from these illegal miners to formalize. However, this did not prevent the Congress, with the support of nine blocs, from approving the repeal of this measure without further consideration. The justifications given by some congressmen, like Segundo Quiroz from the Energy and Mines Committee, stating that the government regulation was "inconvenient," seem more like excuses to favor illegal miners rather than effectively addressing the issue of formalization in small-scale and artisanal mining. The approval of this law has sparked rejection from the country's main business guilds, such as the Institute of Mining Engineers of Peru, who have urged the Government to reconsider it. It is worth noting that this is not the first time the Congress has approved regulations that benefit illegal mining, as was the case last year with the allocation of confiscated machinery to local and regional governments instead of its destruction. In summary, the Congress has become the main ally of illegal mining in the country, sabotaging efforts to combat it. It is urgent that these decisions be reviewed and that the protection of the environment, labor rights, and the safety of the population be prioritized over the economic interests of a few.