espaniol ya mismito……
Official Shut Down of Ascendant in Intag
Ecuador Free of Large-Scale Metal Mining
Today (Oct 3) officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, accompanied by police, came to Chalguayaco Bajo and García Moreno to officially close down Ascendant’s operations in Intag.
The Ministry’s employees placed official closure seals over the company’s office in Garcia Moreno and at their so-called demonstration farm in Chalguayacu Bajo, thereby completing the legal procedure set in motion last week by Minister Chiriboga when he declared a complete suspension to Ascendant’s activities in Intag.
So, there are parties in many Intag’s community’s tonight!!
Regarding the ridiculous spin the company is giving the latest events, seemingly aimed at misinforming their investors into believing that the government’s complete suspension orders are actually good for the company- well, what can one say? No matter how they paint the picture, there is NO way the communities, and much less the Municipality will ever consider allowing mining (besides the fact that the concessions were illegally begotten, and are in violation of the country’s Constitution!!)) . The collective memory is still too fresh from the armed thugs, the December 2006 shootout, the countless death threats, tear-gassing of 6 year olds, attack dogs, and any other number of outrageous human rights abuses linked to the presence of this company. But then again, there are suckers born every minute ready to believe the most unbelievable things…..
Correa Sweeps to Victory
According to this afternoon’s official count (3 October), the government’s party, Alianza País, will win 70% of the vote in the Constitutional Assembly elections held last Sunday. The Assembly’s president will likely be Alberto Acosta, the most voted individual, who in an interviewed in Ecuador Radio yesterday confirmed his desire to declare Ecuador free of large-scaled metal mining. He also pointed out he would never support any kid of mining in places like INTAG, or in any other exceptionally biodiverse places, or in any location where communities reject mining.
There is a collective huge sigh of relief in Intag tonight not felt in years.
