Latest news with #Bogota
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Peru allows miners to seek permits in area removed from Nazca Lines protection
BOGOTA, Colombia — Peru announced Tuesday that miners who had been operating illegally in a large protected archaeological reserve around the famous Nazca Lines will now be able to start the process of obtaining mining permits, after the government reduced the protected area by 42%. Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero said those working in the area must now legalize their mining activities since the zone is no longer designated as archaeological heritage.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Peru allows miners to seek permits in area removed from Nazca Lines protection
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Peru announced Tuesday that miners who had been operating illegally in a large protected archaeological reserve around the famous Nazca Lines will now be able to start the process of obtaining mining permits, after the government reduced the protected area by 42%. Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero said those working in the area must now legalize their mining activities since the zone is no longer designated as archaeological heritage. 'You're fully illegal when you operate in a place where mining is banned ... but since that cultural heritage restriction no longer exists, they're no longer in violation — they'll need to formalize their operations,' Montero said in a press conference in Lima on Tuesday for correspondents working for the international media. He added that the government does not yet know how many miners are currently active there. The area in question forms part of a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site, home to the Nazca Lines — massive geoglyphs etched into the desert thousands of years ago — and one of Peru's most fragile desert ecosystems. Last week, the Ministry of Culture issued a resolution reducing the protected area around the Nazca Lines by 2,397 square kilometers (925 square miles). The reserve, created in 1993, was set at 5,633 square kilometers (2,175 square miles) in 2004. 'It's incredible how the government is not even interested in the heritage of our ancestors that is unprotected, and will be destroyed without any control,' Peruvian environmental lawyer, Cesar Ipenza, told The Associated Press. Ipenza said once the miners enter, they will create huge environmental impacts, and will not assume responsibility. 'And now that the government has released the area from its protection, mining petitions have already started to appear,' he said. Culture Minister Fabricio Valencia said the reduction was based on 'over 20 years of rigorous studies' and that the true archaeological reserve is about 3,200 square kilometers (1,235 square miles). On Saturday, he acknowledged on local Peruvian media that mining was taking place within the reserve. Valencia said the UNESCO World Heritage site that contains the Nazca Lines themselves, covering about 450 square kilometers (174 square miles), was not affected by the change. The AP reviewed the resolution but found no details about the studies justifying the reduction. Requests for those studies went unanswered and UNESCO told AP it had not been notified by Peru of the change and that it will seek information from the government. In past years, Peru's Culture Ministry, prosecutors, and media reported illegal mining inside the protected reserve, including the destruction of mining machinery and camps. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Globe and Mail
14 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Grow Your IB and Affiliate Business with Axi at the 2025 Money Expo Colombia
SYDNEY, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading online FX and CFD broker Axi has announced that it will attend this year's Money Expo Colombia, taking place June 25-26, 2025, in Bogota, Colombia. Event attendees will have the opportunity to explore how they can grow their IB and Affiliate business. ' We invite all traders to visit our booth and connect with our team,' says Santiago Vazquez-Munoz, Regional Head for UK, Europe, and LATAM, before adding, ' We look forward to showcasing how our exceptional partnership opportunities can help traders elevate their business. Attendees at the expo will also have access to exclusive deals available only during the event.' Furthermore, attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about Axi Select, Axi's capital allocation program featuring zero registration or registration fees, capital funding up to $1,000,000 USD, the opportunity to earn up to 90% of the profits, and advanced tools to accelerate traders' trading potential. Football enthusiasts can also visit Axi's booth to get an inside look at the broker's longstanding partnership with Manchester City, Premier League Champions. Manchester City memorabilia and the club's mascots will be on-site for photo opportunities, and attendees will have the chance to win exciting prizes from the broker – including signed player shirts and other merchandise. The broker has a longstanding partnership with Manchester City FC, Girona FC, and Esporte Clube Bahia. In 2023, they also announced England international John Stones as their Brand Ambassador. In 2024, the broker was recognised with the 'Innovator of the Year' award at the Dubai Forex Expo, and was honoured by Finance Feeds with the titles of 'Most Reliable Broker', 'Broker of the Year' and 'Most Innovative Proprietary Trading Firm'. Watch video : About Axi Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, with thousands of customers in 100+ countries worldwide. Axi offers CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, Coffee, and more. For more information from Axi, please contact: mediaenquiries@ The Axi Select program is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content is not available to AU, NZ, EU and UK residents. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Standard trading fees and minimum deposit apply.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Peru reduces Nazca Lines park by 42%, raising concerns over environmental and heritage risks
BOGOTA, Colombia — Peru's decision to shrink its archeological park home to the famous Nazca Lines by around 42% — an area roughly the size of 1,400 soccer fields — has sparked alarm among conservationists, archaeologists and environmental advocates. Critics say the rollback paves the way for informal mining and weakens decades of cultural and ecological protection, while the government says the adjustment reflects updated scientific studies and does not compromise the UNESCO World Heritage status or the site's core protections. 'The reduction not only removes protections — it does so precisely where extractive activity is expanding,' said Mariano Castro, Peru's former vice minister of the environment, adding that the decision could cause 'very serious risks and cumulative damage,' as it excludes zones with active or pending mining claims. Castro added that safeguards for archaeological heritage during the formalization of artisanal mining are already limited. 'This is made worse by the ministry of culture's failure to consider the cumulative impact of dozens or even hundreds of mining operations on sensitive archaeological zones,' he said. The area in question forms part of a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site, home to the Nazca Lines — massive geoglyphs etched into the desert thousands of years ago — and one of Peru's most fragile desert ecosystems. Peruvian environmental lawyer César Ipenza, who has closely followed the decision, said the resolution has already been approved and that it reduces the Nazca zone by more than 1,000 hectares. 'This is a weakening of both environmental and cultural protections,' Ipenza said. 'The state should be upholding its commitments under international agreements, not yielding to private interests.' Ipenza and others say the rollback reflects a pattern of regulatory concessions to mostly informal gold miners. 'There's an alliance between the current government and informal mining sectors,' he said. 'The legal framework continues to be relaxed to benefit them.' Peru's ministry of culture, which decided on May 30 to reduce the Nazca reserve from about 5,600 square kilometers to roughly 3,200 square kilometers, declined to answer specific questions from The Associated Press. Instead, it sent a press release saying the adjustment was based on updated archaeological studies and does not affect the UNESCO World Heritage designation or its buffer zone. The ministry said it remains committed to preserving the site's cultural heritage through regulated management. A day after the May 30 decision, Peru's Minister of Culture Fabricio Valencia acknowledged that illegal mining exists within the reserve. 'Unfortunately, informal mining is an activity present in this area, but the measure we have taken does not mean it will be encouraged, nor that the likelihood of any harm from informal mining will increase. That will not happen,' Valencia said on RPP, one of Peru's largest radio programs. When asked for more details about the presence of illegal activity in the reserve, Valencia said, 'there are some mining deposits, but I don't have exact information on what type of mineral is there.' UNESCO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Castro, the former vice minister, warned the move could violate Peru's own laws. 'It contravenes Article 5(h) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, which mandates the protection of archaeological and historical heritage,' he said. Ipenza said the government is enabling illegality under the guise of technical adjustments. 'It is shameful to forget our ancestors and our heritage, and to disguise decisions that pave the way for sectors seeking to impose illegality, such as illegal and informal mining,' he said. 'This decision benefits those groups and harms all Peruvians.' — The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Peru reduces Nazca Lines park by 42%, raising concerns over environmental and heritage risks
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Peru's decision to shrink its archeological park home to the famous Nazca Lines by around 42% — an area roughly the size of 1,400 soccer fields — has sparked alarm among conservationists, archaeologists and environmental advocates. Critics say the rollback paves the way for informal mining and weakens decades of cultural and ecological protection, while the government says the adjustment reflects updated scientific studies and does not compromise the UNESCO World Heritage status or the site's core protections. 'The reduction not only removes protections — it does so precisely where extractive activity is expanding,' said Mariano Castro, Peru's former vice minister of the environment, adding that the decision could cause 'very serious risks and cumulative damage,' as it excludes zones with active or pending mining claims. Castro added that safeguards for archaeological heritage during the formalization of artisanal mining are already limited. 'This is made worse by the ministry of culture's failure to consider the cumulative impact of dozens or even hundreds of mining operations on sensitive archaeological zones,' he said. The area in question forms part of a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site, home to the Nazca Lines — massive geoglyphs etched into the desert thousands of years ago — and one of Peru's most fragile desert ecosystems. Peruvian environmental lawyer César Ipenza, who has closely followed the decision, said the resolution has already been approved and that it reduces the Nazca zone by more than 1,000 hectares. 'This is a weakening of both environmental and cultural protections,' Ipenza said. 'The state should be upholding its commitments under international agreements, not yielding to private interests.' Ipenza and others say the rollback reflects a pattern of regulatory concessions to mostly informal gold miners. 'There's an alliance between the current government and informal mining sectors,' he said. 'The legal framework continues to be relaxed to benefit them.' Peru's ministry of culture, which decided on May 30 to reduce the Nazca reserve from about 5,600 square kilometers to roughly 3,200 square kilometers, declined to answer specific questions from The Associated Press. Instead, it sent a press release saying the adjustment was based on updated archaeological studies and does not affect the UNESCO World Heritage designation or its buffer zone. The ministry said it remains committed to preserving the site's cultural heritage through regulated management. A day after the May 30 decision, Peru's Minister of Culture Fabricio Valencia acknowledged that illegal mining exists within the reserve. 'Unfortunately, informal mining is an activity present in this area, but the measure we have taken does not mean it will be encouraged, nor that the likelihood of any harm from informal mining will increase. That will not happen,' Valencia said on RPP, one of Peru's largest radio programs. When asked for more details about the presence of illegal activity in the reserve, Valencia said, 'there are some mining deposits, but I don't have exact information on what type of mineral is there.' UNESCO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Castro, the former vice minister, warned the move could violate Peru's own laws. 'It contravenes Article 5(h) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, which mandates the protection of archaeological and historical heritage,' he said. Ipenza said the government is enabling illegality under the guise of technical adjustments. 'It is shameful to forget our ancestors and our heritage, and to disguise decisions that pave the way for sectors seeking to impose illegality, such as illegal and informal mining,' he said. 'This decision benefits those groups and harms all Peruvians.' — The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
