Minera Autlán Reaches an Agreement to Stop Blockade
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Minera Autlán Reaches an Agreement to Stop Blockade

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Karin Dilge By Karin Dilge | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Tue, 10/18/2022 - 16:12

Recently, access routes to Minera Autlán’s operation have been blocked by inhabitants of the Ixcotla community in the Molango municipality. The company requested the intervention of the state government to reach an agreement and has now reached an agreement with the community and remove the roadblocks.

A group of inhabitants was reportedly seeking to collect toll fees, as well as gain land and payments. As a measure to pressure the company, the inhabitants had been blocking the roads to the municipality for 20 days. Moreover, on October 15, a physical confrontation between the members of the two parties occurred, following which the involved parties requested the support of the state’s Public Security Ministry. 

Under the supervision of the Human Rights Commission of Hidalgo, the Public Security Ministry intervened to put an end to the conflict that has been affecting thousands of inhabitants. After the confrontation, a multilateral agreement was formed between the government, local society and Minera Autlán.

On Sept. 24, 2022, members of the Ixcotla community urged the company to meet its demands to liberate the Mexico-Tampico highway, which connects Autlán’s assets to the rest of the country. According to local media, the Ixcotla community asked the company for a monthly fee of US$24,700 for the use of land, private medical insurance for each of the inhabitants of the community, a donation of land to construct houses, bimonthly payments of their electricity bills and 40kg of LP gas for each family, as well as scholarships, school supplies and transport for students. In addition, the community asked for solar water heaters, water tanks and demanded employment opportunities for inhabitants. Minera Autlán said that the petitions made by the community were unreasonable and outside of the legal framework used to meet the needs of communities living near mining projects.

Officers of the local Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) had repeatedly urged the parties to reach an agreement, as both parties can benefit from the mining activity in the Molango municipality, which holds the largest manganese deposit in Mexico. Minera Autlán is one of the biggest employers in the region, though some inhabitants have complained about the environmental impact of mining operations.

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