Pedro Francke, Peru’s minister of economy and finance: “In the last two decades, mining has been the main source of social conflict in Peru. Although it is true that in recent months some protests have taken place, the ones that have been going on for years have been reactivated. It is also important to emphasize that today, Peru is not going through a period of great social conflict associated with mining. In the case of the Las Bambas copper mine and others, President Castillo’s government is prioritizing dialogue as a key tool to solve inherited conflicts by identifying underlying problems and seeking to build lasting solutions—not simply by reacting to outbreaks. At the same time, the government seeks to implement a preventative strategy against possible new conflicts. Mining companies are currently booming as a result of high mineral prices. It is estimated that the extraordinary income of mining companies in Peru exceeds $13 billion…”