SHANGHAI, Jun 6(SMM) -
Peru's cabinet met on Friday to try to find a truce for the ongoing conflict that has already suspended operations at Las Bambas copper mine of MMG Ltd, as some left-wing lawmakers said nationalizing the company would be the solution.
The government of left-wing President Pedro Castillo has repeatedly tried to reach a ceasefire between protesting indigenous groups, who demand better redistribution of mining profits to the community, and the management of mine, but has failed to bring about the reopening.
About 3,000 workers in Peru were fired and they took to the streets to protest after MMG's Las Bambas copper mine was suspended for more than 40 days, a Peruvian mining union said on June 2. It was the second protest by the union since the mine was shut down.
Las Bambas, one of the world's largest copper mines, was forced to suspend in April due to protests by indigenous communities adjacent to the Peruvian Andes.
Union president Erick Ramos said the 3,000 workers were all working for contractors that served Las Bambas. It added that "hundreds" of mine employees were also fired.
According to company disclosures, MMG employs about 2,700 people directly in Peru and another 6,000 through third-party companies.