Provincial deputy Natalia Morales of the Workers’ Left Front-Unity (FIT-U) criticized on March 28 what she described as a “false hearing” regarding the Glacier Law. Morales said there was a lack of effective public participation and accused authorities of violating citizens’ rights to be involved in the process.
Morales said that more than 100,000 people who opposed the reform were not heard. She stated, “What is happening is scandalous,” and linked the advancement of extractive industries to actions by governors associated with lithium and copper initiatives.
She argued that the process ignored international agreements such as the Escazú Agreement and failed to consult Indigenous communities. Morales accused the government of acting with “racism” and carrying out territorial dispossession.
Morales also referred to past incidents in Jujuy, recalling repression during provincial reforms in 2023. She said that current policies aim to further transfer natural resources and water rights to mining corporations.
According to Morales, governors including Carlos Sadir, Jalil, and Cornejo act as “employees of corporations” by selling off minerals and national sovereignty. She asserted that large-scale mining does not bring development but instead leads to greater poverty and loss for local populations.
“The fight to defend the Glacier Law is a chapter whose ending remains undecided; we will settle it in the streets,” Morales said, emphasizing her position that “water is worth more than anything.”
