Norma Yarrow, a congresswoman from the Renovación Popular party, has raised concerns regarding Eduardo Salhuana’s candidacy for the presidency of the Congress of the Republic. During her statements, she confirmed her party’s separation from the so-called Democratic Bloc and highlighted Salhuana’s alleged connections to illegal mining.
Yarrow criticized Salhuana, stating, “He is a person widely questioned regarding illegal mining, which is bringing misfortune to our country, as we saw with the issue of the Registry for the Comprehensive Formalization of Mining (Reinfo). What surprises me is that the regional president of Trujillo, where Pataz faces this illegal mining situation, supports a candidacy for a position in a state power like the Congress.”
In light of the negative reception to Salhuana’s candidacy, her party intends to take a stance as a “responsible opposition” against both the government of Dina Boluarte and Salhuana. Yarrow declared that they would vote blank, insisting, “I reaffirm that he is Dina Boluarte’s candidate. Ministries, embassies, and the Board of Directors are being taken here.”
Indeed, as previously reported, Boluarte is one of the proponents of Salhuana’s candidacy, just as she has defended others facing constitutional allegations, indicating a strong friendship between them.
Recently, Salhuana hinted at potential constitutional issues surrounding the allegations against Boluarte, stating, “The complaint could pose a concrete constitutional problem, as the crimes cited by the prosecutor are not included in the list of crimes outlined in Article 117.” This comment was made as if he were a spokesperson for the government.
When questioned about whether APP has relationships with the government, Salhuana responded, “We are friends with everyone. We believe that in politics, it’s essential to seek closeness and coincidences.”
Amidst growing controversies, particularly surrounding the Rolex case and inconsistencies from the president, Salhuana expressed support for Boluarte’s testimony to the prosecution. He mentioned, “The country deserves an explanation, as some might have doubts about the truthfulness of her statements,” but he underscored that he trusts Boluarte, stating, “I have no reason to doubt. It’s the word of the president, and we should allow institutions to function and the Ministry to investigate.”
In terms of legislative initiatives, Salhuana has backed several proposals with controversial implications. One significant bill, Law Project 07287-2023-CR, aimed to differentiate responsible small miners from illegal ones but was rescinded following the repeal of Legislative Decree 1607. Another contentious proposal, PL 2715/2021-CR, sought to restrict the powers of specialized environmental prosecutors and the National Police in addressing illegal mining activities.
Additionally, Salhuana has advanced laws that could negatively impact both the environment and indigenous communities. Among these is PL 04587/2022, which would allow regional governments to enable logging, and PL 6259/2023, aimed at permitting road construction in protected natural areas, such as the Manu National Park. He also supports PL 0894-2022, which suggests revisions to forestry and wildlife laws, potentially facilitating illegal land trafficking.
A report from the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS) in Peru reveals that illegal mining currently affects 32 districts and 22 rivers across various regions. Martín Arana, a representative from FCDS-Peru, noted that trends in the gold market, unemployment, poverty, and the influence of organized crime have exacerbated these illegal activities.
Experts from FCDS-Peru and the Peruvian Society of Environmental Law emphasized the necessity for effective monitoring and control systems to mitigate the impacts of illegal mining. They believe that while formalization could be part of the solution, the process is often slow and burdened by bureaucratic complexities.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/peru/2024/07/25/renovacion-popular-se-separa-del-bloque-democratico-y-rechaza-postulacion-de-eduardo-salhuana-vinculado-a-la-mineria-ilegal/
