LIMA, Reuters – MMG Ltd’s Las Bambas mine stated that a temporary truce was made to lift a Peruan blockade. The road has been closed for nearly a month. However, it does not ensure the possibility of reopening operations.

Residents from the Chumbivilcas Province have been blocking roads since Nov. 20. Las Bambas produces about 2% global copper output and Las Bambas had to cease production. It has become a significant problem for leftist President Pedro Castillo. Peru is world number 2. 2 copper producer.

Many Chumbivilcas residents had agreed to lift their blockade, but Las Bambas claimed that others are still blocking the roads and having built huts.

Still, the communities that did lift the blockade have only agreed to a temporary truce until Dec. 30 https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/exclusive-peru-protesters-clear-las-bambas-road-after-mining-shutdown-legal-2021-12-22, when Peruvian Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez is set to visit the area. According to residents, depending on what agreements were reached that day, they may lift the blockade permanently and/or restart it.

Las Bambas released a statement saying that the company “calls upon all parties to respect law and create the conditions necessary for us to resume our operations in sustainable ways.” The temporary truce was not in accordance with these conditions, the company stated.

Since the start of operations at Las Bambas, the Las Bambas mine is a focal point for protests. Blockades have been placed on the road for more than 400 days.

Vasquez has urged the protesting community to clean the roads but wasn’t clear about the implications of this. While she did not rule out the possibility of a declaration of a state-of- emergency, she said that it was something she preferred to do.