OPINION: Time to appoint a new Environment Minister

What appear to be serious omissions by the Ministry of the Environment (Miambiente) in the inspections that it was regularly required to carry out on the activities of the copper mine in Donoso, as well as investigating complaints from residents residing in the vicinity of the concession, are worrying. This medium requested the Miambiente inspection reports for 2022 and 2023, but the institution did not deliver them. Nor could he justify before the Supreme Court why he did not have them. The conclusion that can be reached is that he could not justify it because they are non-existent or because – which would be much worse – what is said in them would be enough to have stopped negotiations for a new contract with the mining company. In any case, the absence of these reports is enough for the head of Miambiente to resign or for the President of the Republic to fire him, since this official – due to negligence – cannot continue at the head of a ministry that is negotiating the closure of the mine. The problem of officials is their manifest inability to realize their negligence, since surely they are not even aware of it. But what is essential – by one means or another – is to appoint a new minister… and as soon as possible. – LA PRENSA, Jan. 11.