Adán Augusto López Meets with Miners in Sonora

During a working trip to Sonora, Interior Minister Adán Augusto López met with two different mining groups with the aim to solve what he considers to be a historic mining conflict in Sonora. The minister’s visit comes amid escalating tensions between Cananea mineworkers and the federal government.

While in Sonora, López held a conference where he addressed energy sovereignty, lithium nationalization, Indigenous peoples issues and the water security of the state, as well as the decades-old Cananea problem. Grupo Mexico’s Cananea mine produced 40 percent of Mexico’s copper in the 90s, but stopped operations entirely in 2007 after mining workers clashed with the company over health and safety concerns.

After the conference, State Governor Alfonso Durazo stated that López met with two groups of former mining workers that protest against Grupo Mexico, the mining company that operates the Buena Vista del Cobre complex. According to Durazo, López met representatives of the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Iron, Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic (SNTMMSSRM) Section 65 and the so-called Derechosos 5 Percent group of Cananea.

Durazo recognized López’s efforts and the political matureness of the 5 Percent group that maintained its fight using legal tools. López declared that with the mandate of President López Obrador, he will start to prepare how to repay the damages and declared that under the current administration, public officials need to get closely involved and  it “not just work behind their desks.” “We are here to address two issues related to injustices in Cananea involving mining workers. By addressing the problem, we comply with the president’s instructions,” added  López.

López declared that the government’s goal is to tackle gripes and guarantee justice is served across all of Sonora. He added that he will meet the workers again to follow up on the matter. 

On June 18, 2022, MBN reported that STMMSSRM Section 65 asked President López Obrador to get involved after they considered that the work that López carried out was insufficient, claiming the government official did not meet them for follow-up discussions as promised. Representatives of the mining group warned that if workers did not obtain what they asked for, there would be consequences.