DIVISION. The controversies in Gualel continue, some ask for the return of companies, others refuse to receive them.
The president of the parish does not speak, a group of inhabitants ask for the return of the companies. Others are against mining.
In the Gualel parish of the Loja canton, people continue with diversity of criteriaFaced with mining exploitation, some ask that the companies keep exploring and others, with marches and meetings, demand the declaration of Loja free of mining. for now alone a company is in territorybut only two or three people from the area would be working.
Requests
Johana Mejicano, a member of the Gualel Pro-Development Committee, stated that the economic situation in the parish is criticalbecause one of the companies that was working with personnel from the area abandoned, after the controversies and the struggle of the anti-mining committees who reject these activities. “This company called Sol-Gold left due to a lack of internal security, which caused more than 80 families with they will be without work. The economic reactivation in the parish does not occur, because there are no resources in more than 90% of the population“, said.
Currently, in the parish the only company that continues is Guayacan-Gold. At the beginning of this year around 200 y 300 people in the area were about to be hired by the mining companies but a group of anti-miners opposed the jobs and those families were left without job opportunities, and therefore continue at a lower level. low poverty y family disunitybecause some heads of household have left to look for work in other citiesrecounted.
Security
He assured that security was requested from the authorities and thus openings to dialogue can be given to resume work with people from the area, thus energizing the local economy with the activation of the shops, restaurants, even the producers themselveswho sold vegetables and grains to companies. Currently, people from Saraguro and anti-miners continue guarding the areaso they expect the Government, Municipality, National Policelend the guarantee to reactivate and return employment and development to the parish.
Opposition
While a group calls for the return of the companies, other citizens of the parish defend natural resources such as flora, fauna and the water of Cerro de Iron Urco.“For more than 13 years we have been working in the defense of life, so now more than ever we continue to fight so that the natural resources of Gualel do not run into each other. We ask the Mayor and Councilors to ratify the resolution of August 2019, where the canton of Loja was declared free of metallic mining”, argued Rodrigo Tene, defender of water.
The mayor, Franco Quezada, offered to fight so that there are no concessions and that the watersheds are respected.