From May 12-15 there is a call for a civic strike, and associated demonstrations in and around the city centre of Arequipa, also related to protests against the Tia Maria mining project.
In the early hours of yesterday morning, protesters convened in various designated locations in Arequipa to partake in the 72-hour strike against the Tía María mining project, according to El Comercio.
The protests have dragged on for more than 50 days now, causing tens of injuries, and three deaths on the sides of protesters and officials.
Since yesterday the participants in the strike included teachers of SUTEP, the union of civil construction and defence fronts of the young people of the city of Arequipa.
Reports from El Comercio detail that yesterday morning protesters took new road sections and closed the entrances of the National University of San Augustin. Media sources in the local region announced that another group of occupiers blocked the kilometer 966 of the Panamerican Sur highway at the height of the crossing known as La Joya.
In addition kilometer 16 of the Panamerican Sur highway was blocked yesterday morning, cutting off the road connecting Arequipa to Puno, said Carlos Zanaria of El Comercio.
Despite the concerns of local farmers, the Peruvian government maintains that the mining project would not interfere with the agriculture industry.
In 2011, protests against the project owned by the Mexican company, Southern Copper, erupted in violence causing three deaths.
Source: Peru This Week
