Peru Suspends Pataz Gold Mining After Execution of 13 Workers

President Dina Boluarte suspended gold mining in Pataz for 30 days after illegal miners executed 13 subcontracted workers. The government imposed a nightly curfew from 6 pm to 6 am and ordered the armed forces to assume security control.

Officials discovered the remains inside a tunnel on May 4 following the victims’ abduction. Boluarte tasked the military with establishing a base near the Poderosa concession to secure the area and facilitate investigations.

She announced plans to ask Congress for urban terrorism legislation to impose tougher penalties on organized mining gangs. She also banned subcontracting by concession holders to preserve accountability over personnel.

Compañía Minera Poderosa reported 39 deaths in Pataz so far this year amid turf battles over rich gold veins. Its managers noted that illegal miners have encroached on licensed concessions since 2020, deepening conflicts.

Mining Minister Jorge Montoro warned the 30-day halt might extend if security fails to stabilize. Interior Minister Julio Díaz dismantled 20 of 30 identified illegal mine shafts but said many remain under criminal control.

Business leaders compared the massacre to internal conflict-era atrocities and criticized state security lapses. They warned that battered local communities face growing economic and social fallout.

Pataz sits in La Libertad, a region where gold drives the local economy and attracts informal diggers. Authorities declared states of emergency before, yet violence persisted despite heavy police deployments.

The recent killings underscored the limits of existing measures against armed mining networks. The suspension aims to disrupt criminal rackets that channel millions in illicit gold revenue.

Officials will monitor compliance and can extend the ban to ensure state authority prevails. Observers view the measures as a test of the government’s capacity to protect legal mining investment.

Peru ranks as the world’s third-largest copper producer but relies on northern districts like Pataz for most of its gold output. The region’s gold underpins local livelihoods and national export revenues.

Some view the suspension as the strictest mining intervention in decades, raising questions about long-term investor confidence. Companies must review security protocols to guarantee staff safety.

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