Peruvian authorities are working on a plan to maintain the presence of soldiers along a road used to transport minerals to avoid disruptions to some of the world’s top copper mines.
“We have a plan to keep the armed forces close,” Energy and Mines Minister Oscar Vera said in an interview on Tuesday. “We are coordinating so they can stay, which is important.”
The highway, known as the mining corridor, is used by MMG's Las Bambas, Glencore's Antapaccay and Hudbay Minerals' Constancia to transport semi-processed copper to a seaport.
The road has been the site of multiple blockades, with Las Bambas a particular focus, including as recently as this year. Indigenous communities often stage protests to push for greater economic benefits for local populations. Such disruptions delay shipments to smelters in China and elsewhere.
Vera said the army would stay along the road to work on infrastructure projects, alongside communities. For now, a state of emergency allows for a military presence, although that status will expire soon.