Overview
- The National Society of Mining, Oil and Energy (SNMPE) voiced concern over recent Ministry of Energy and Mines appointments to posts central to formalization and concession decisions.
- Media reports say MINEM placed REINFO-linked officials to lead the Directorate of Mining Formalization and the geological institute INGEMMET.
- The government named Wilfredo Pedro Portilla Barrera as director of Mining Formalization, and press accounts report he was among more than 50,000 removed from REINFO for not meeting minimum requirements.
- SNMPE argues the selections conflict with a rigorous formalization agenda, noting REINFO was conceived as temporary yet has been extended and has formalized fewer than 3% of registrants.
- The group warns REINFO has operated as a shield for mining without environmental, worker safety or explosives controls and calls for concrete signals of a technically qualified team to curb illegal mining.