“How many deputies have a relationship with mining companies?” asked the environmental lawyer Enrique Viale when it was his turn to speak at the Public Hearing in the Chamber of Deputies for the reform of the Glacier Law. He then assured that “there is a senator who does not represent the province of Salta but represents the mining companies directly, her name is Flavia Royon. Has a consultancy that advises Rio Tintoone of the main beneficiaries of this law. Tomorrow we are criminally reporting due to incompatibility in the public function and for the bribery to be investigated.” Royón was one of the affirmative votes to reform the glacier law in the Senate, while he has his own consulting company called Minenco that advises mining companies, in addition to appearing in the directory of the consulting firm Zelandez. She was Secretary of Energy during the government of Alberto and Cristina Fernández of the Frente de Todos, and reports to the governor of her province, Gustavo Saenz.
Now @EnriqueViale announces that they are going to criminally denounce Senator Flavia Royon of Salta for incompatibility in public office. She voted in favor of reforming the glacier law and is an advisor to mining companies with her consulting firm. For example, Río Tinto advises pic.twitter.com/z7OnbOz5zP
— Jesica Calcagno (@Jesi_mc) March 25, 2026
Attention by Glacier Law. just told @EnriqueViale that Senator Flavia Royon (Salta), who is the promoter and voted for the reform, is a member of the board of directors of Zelandez, a MINING consultancy and supplier. It was the Energy Sec of Frene de Todos and Minería with Milei. 👇🏾 https://t.co/HtXMDyszUf pic.twitter.com/6vXmoJw2tq
— Jesica Calcagno (@Jesi_mc) March 6, 2026
He was not the only one pointed out. The environmental lawyer asked the deputy of La Libertad Avanza José Peluc: “You don’t have a relationship with mining suppliers? Didn’t you have a meeting recently with a mining supplier? How many more are there like this?The libertarian from San Juan managed to respond, “I am going to clarify that I have no relationship with the state or with mining.”
There were cross-examinations from several speakers who pointed out that the actress who became a libertarian representative, Karen Reichardtlaunched provocations while those who opposed the reform of the glacier law spoke.
Mining has been developing for years in Argentina, there are several projects in operation, others that ended and left. With this reform to the glacier law they want to advance with the exploitation of copper in the mountain provinces, and the communities that have already experienced the development of some projects spoke at the Hearing.
one of them was Rolando Flores from Andalgala, Catamarca. He denounced the Alumbrera Mining that after 17 years “it left us with an environmental liability that will never be remedied, and a lack of water. Every 4 days our water is cut off or dirty water comes for the removal of rubble from the new Mara project that is trying to be established.” From Chubuttraveled Marcelo Alberto Arteaga and he said that in his town in Comodoro Rivadavia “Out of 7 days, 4 of us have water” because of the mining companies. “There are people here who negotiate our future, our life. Water is life,” he concluded his presentation.
Rolando highlighted the importance of protecting glaciers and periglacials “Up, on the Aconquija hill, we receive the only water from that Hill, and we know how it is produced up there, in the rock environments, in the periglaciers that convert the air and the cold into water that is essential for our animals, for planting, for our fruit trees from which we live.” He closed his presentation by telling the deputies that they support the reform “You have a great vocation for dedication. You can dictate the laws you want, but they are not going to pass through Andalgalá”.
In the afternoon there was a cross between the lawyer of mining companies, Horacio Franco, and a speaker who was waiting his turn. Franco was defending the mining ventures in San Juan and they yelled at him “There were more than 5 cyanide spills in Jáchal“. The El Veladero mine (gold and silver) operates there and they denounce that they have already broken glaciers, violating the current law.
Among the complaints for unconstitutionality of the reformseveral exhibitors pointed out that it violates the ILO Convention 169 which requires that a prior, free and informed consultation to the original communities. Marta Maffei and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel were some of those who pointed it out. In the case of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, it was a very important axis of his presentation: “it is at stake that indigenous peoples can preserve their culture.” He also reported that “they want to enter companies due to pressure from the United States government to impose this glacier law. That is exploitation, it is not development.” Pérez Esquivel also pointed out the complicity of “the governors of the mountain provinces that make up the lithium and copper table.”
The environmental lawyer Enrique Vialeadded data on the water used by the Vicuña project to extract copper in the province of San Juan: 2,000 liters of water per second are used for mining development. There are 174 million liters per day. He also said that behind the mining Glencore that operates in Catamarca in the Mara project, is Black Rockthe US investment fund.
For its part, Marta Maffeiauthor of the current Glacier Law, denounced that “open pit mining leaves the water irreversibly contaminated” and that it is an activity that melts glaciers. “cesium, radon, strontium, uranium, heavy metals, which no longer leave the water”. He linked this problem to the fact that we are going through a water crisis in the world where “75% of the world’s population lives in areas where water is scarce, insufficient or contaminated”.
Few registered to defend the reform of the glacier law. This Wednesday they spoke in favor of Minister of production of San Juan, Gustavo Fernández; and the CABA mining lawyer, Horacio Franco.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
