A barbed wire retains moisture after a rainy afternoon in Victoria de Portete, main opposition community to the proposed mining in Quimsacocha.
Federico Guzman inspects a pile of cement in the area concessioned to INV Metals in Quimsacocha, which indicates how deep should be dug to reach the mineral reserve. In this case: 303 meters.
Federico Guzman, alongside fellow workers plan and equitable distribution of water in the community during lunch.
In June 22nd of 2014, the March for Water, Life and Dignity of the People started. This crossed the country in protest against the current government's extractive policies.
Model of the 8030 hectare concession in INV Metals Mining Education Center in San Gerardo.
"Everything we're seeing is going to be lost" - Federico Guzmán.
"The children started getting sick, so we sent to analyze and say that this water is contaminated" ... "We are going to suffer somewhat, but our children, our grandchildren, great-grandchildren ... They will be poor, doomed. The only thing we live of is the water coming from up there. "- Mariano Pompilio, 84, one of the first inhabitants of Victoria de Portete to resist mining in 2002.
Rocio Shushingo checks the entrance to a false cave in the Mining Education Center in San Gerardo. This center was created by the Canadian mining company I am Gold to educate the inhabitants of San Gerardo and surrounding villages on the positive aspects of mining.
A piece of government propaganda with the face of Rafael Correa, ecuador's president and main promoter of extractivism is seen disfigured in the facade of a house in Victoria de Portete. During the last elections, the people of this parish resisted to vote, preventing national electoral council delegates from entering their community.
Victoria de Portete residents discussed how to effectively distribute the little water they get from the slopes of Quimsacocha in a community meeting. Through international funds, community members have built repertoires of water and irrigation systems to optimize the use of the 7 liters per second that reaches them. For mining, 60 liters per second would be used.
The state is building a "Millennium School" in Victoria Portete, main population opposition to the mining project in Quimsacocha. The parish government, consisting mostly of members of the government party, is considering changing this school specialization in dairy technology to technology in mining and non-renewable resources. Every young person who lives in Victoria Portete and villages surrounding it are required to attend this school. Other public educational institutions are closed.
Sergio Palta fishes trouts in the river Irquis with his three daughters during a Sunday morning. During the exploration stage of mineral settlements in Quimsacocha, 2003, the pollution in the river killed much of their fish. Once the exploring ended, the mining company I am Gold planted young trouts to compensate the damage.
The Fight for Water
Quimsacocha
The communities around Ecuador's Quimsacocha water reservoir are grappling with the imminent threat posed by mining activities. Initially granted to Canadian company I AM GOLD in 2002, the concession has now been transferred to INV Metals, pending state approval for environmental impact studies. Residents, heavily reliant on the reservoir for daily needs and agriculture, express concerns about potential water contamination, citing previous adverse effects on the Irquis river during exploration. Faced with what they perceive as a mining imposition, the community is gearing up for a legal battle, with leaders such as Carlos Pérez, Federico Guzman, and Angel Arpi already having faced legal repercussions for their opposition to mining activities. The proposed shift in the specialization of a Millennium School from Dairy Technology to Mining and Technology in nonrenewable resources further exacerbates tensions, prompting residents to resist potential displacement and environmental hazards through legal means.