Original article: Trabajadores de Chuquicamata llaman a conformar un gran Frente de Defensa del Cobre: «No puede ser que sigamos en la misma lógica de que nuestros recursos naturales sean saqueados a vista y paciencia de todos»

Chuquicamata Workers Urge Formation of a United Copper Defense Front: «Our Natural Resources Should Not Be Plundered Before Our Eyes»

In a very clear call appealing to the historic commitment to defend Chilean copper, workers from the Chuquicamata Union of Codelco expressed their concerns regarding the current government’s intentions to intervene in the state-owned mining company by selling off some assets or even privatizing certain areas, as proposed by the Republican Party.

The plea was framed as «a very clear invitation, as has not been made for a long time: to form a great front in defense of Chilean copper and critical minerals starting today. It cannot be that we continue in the same logic that our natural resources are plundered before everyone’s eyes,» stated one of the union representatives during an event held in front of Codelco’s corporate building in Santiago.

To establish this great front, the copper worker added, «we need the will of everyone—neighbors, market vendors, community members, health workers, students, and politicians. We need to come together for a truly patriotic reason.»

Additionally, the union president, Manuel Guerrero, reminded everyone that Codelco has contributed more than 170 billion dollars to the state in recent times, of which more than 40 billion have been allocated to the armed forces through the copper reserve law, which constitutes 10 percent.

«If that ten percent were redistributed as reinvestment or included within Codelco’s profits, the company would not be indebted today with 26 billion dollars,» emphasized the leader.

Following this, the president of the Chuquicamata Union urged the government to «be precise in its statements. When the president of Codelco and the minister say that there will be no privatization, but on the other hand, they claim they will sell assets, what is that if not exactly the same? Those are the resources that are generating wealth today and will generate even more wealth in the future.»

«We believe that today Codelco can establish alliances with private entities, but for Codelco to grow, not to diminish. We will not allow resources we currently have to be sold off. And when they try to make us believe that mines like El Salvador or Gabi are unprofitable and are considering selling them, that is disassembling the company,» Guerrero warned.

In this context, the leader reminded us that «we currently have the highest copper prices in history, so what better way to make it seem inefficient than to sell it off to friends, cronies, and the usual suspects, because they are bothered by the fact that the resources Chileans receive through this great company are shared among everyone. They want to distribute it among a few,» he emphasized.

We will continue to provide updates.