After the approval of the San Jorge project and laws to benefit the large mining transnationals, sectors of Peronism celebrated with Milei what they call “a step towards development.” The former deputy of the Frente de Todos for the province of Buenos Aires Fernanda Vallejos He maintained in his X account that it is an “opportunity for large and developed Argentina.”
They celebrate the reprimarization of the economy with Milei
the extractivist consensus is very clear
The people of Mendoza reject him#ElAguaDeMendozaNoSeNegocia https://t.co/DS4erUtaZu— Lihuen (@ecozurda_) December 10, 2025
Vallejos congratulated the people of Mendoncino (sic) while he mobilized on the routes, in the squares and in the assemblies repudiating the mega-mining advance and in defense of water. What remains evident is the extractivist consensus of yesterday and today.
“Big and developed Argentina”? They promised the same with soybeans. Once again the government lower withholdings to the large cereal companies because they do not liquidate. A million-dollar transfer in response to obvious extortion, and the development was never seen, on the contrary, it increased the economic concentration, poverty and contamination with agrochemicals.
Peronism celebrates with Milei at the precise moment in which he intends to advance with the reform plan for environmental, labor and retirement laws that he could not approve in the Base Law. Milei’s model destroy the industry to promote the megamining and frackinglower withholdings for the big ones agro and deepen the reprimarization of the economy. It’s a extractivist plan throughout the line and, in this model, there are “too many” workers, which is why they also attack labor rights.
Several analysts speak of an attempt to “Peruvianize” Argentina. In Peruwhere 56% of exports come from mining, the activity generates between 2% and 5% of total employmentl. Mining income barely leaves crumbs, while inequality grows and transnationals take everything.
However, Vallejos “forgets” about the entire attack plan, forgets about RIGI and mentions the case of Saint John as an example of “mining employment”. If we look at the real numbers, mining represents only between 5% and 6% of private employment registered of the province. The geographer and professor at UNCuyo, Marcelo Giraudalready debunked the employment myths in the case of San Jorge, which would be only 280, despite the fact that the media spread ten times that figure.
It is little and nothing for an activity that consumes water, energy and generates environmental liabilities that last centuries. According to the revelation of the assemblies there have already been 15 spills of the Veladero Mine the most serious being the one that occurred in 2015. Recently, thousands of dead fishthe company denies being responsible and the San Juan government does not investigate and spreads reassuring lies. It is the neighbors who organize and submit complaints based on reports made independently.
Peronism and the extractivist consensus
There were five Peronist votes that accompanied the approval in the provincial Senate of Mendoza, coming from the sector that responds to the PJ mayors: Mauricio Sat, Pedro Serra, Adriana Cano, Alejandra Barro and Mercedes Derrache.
Peronism shares the direction of deepening extractivism. I had already explained it Massa in the electoral campaign when he referred to the mountain range like a cake to share the Kicillof when he drives Vaca Muerta. For this reason, Peronism as a whole cannot be a real opposition to Milei’s plans, because it shares many of its premises and political and economic project, although the “modes” are criticized. Part of the Peronist crisis is explained by this lack of an alternative project.
That is why it is striking when it is said that the people of Mendoza “voted for this” [en referencia a la megaminería]since none of the majority options expresses the resistance and rejection that It has been built for years in defense of water and against megamining from below. The distance between representatives and represented remains enormous. But in Mendoza, with the fight, they have managed to stop the attacks.
A story of struggle: the people of Mendoza do not surrender
Faced with the extractivist consensus, the people of Mendoza alone you can rely on your own strength. And they have a long history of fighting.
In 2007they conquered the Ley 7722the law to defend water. In 2019, the provincial government tried to modify it by approving the Law 9209 to enable megamining. But with days of massive mobilizations and a Christmas in the streetsthe people achieved the repeal of 9209 and ratified the validity of 7722.
For those who did not see it, the documentary History of Water in Mendoza reconstructs that monumental struggle that is still valid in the imagination of the people of Mendoza. If they could tear down a law that completely enabled megamining, they can tear down the Environmental Impact report of a single project.
Today Milei and his allies celebrate as if they had achieved a historic victory but nothing is said yetif the people of Mendoza demonstrated anything in the last 20 years is that the fight continues until mega-mining laws are repealed. Mendoza’s water is not negotiated.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
