The Archdiocese of El Salvador on Sunday rejected the possibility of President Nayib Bukele’s government lifting the total ban on mining in the Central American country. The ban, in place since 2017, is viewed by the church as essential to preventing harm to the population. The statement comes after Bukele described the mining ban as “absurd,” arguing that the country possesses rich gold deposits that remain untapped.
However, in a communiqué, the archdiocese stated that mining would lead to “water and air pollution, causing death and irreversible diseases for a large part of our population, especially among our poorest brothers and sisters.” “We hope our authorities reconsider and do not repeal the law that prohibits mining, safeguarding the health and life of the people,” the message added.
On Friday, Central American bishops had already urged regional governments to prioritize environmental conservation and reject mining exploitation. “We are the ONLY country in the world with a total ban on metallic mining, something no other country implements. Absurd!” Bukele wrote on the social media platform X last Wednesday.
He argued that mining “can be responsibly utilized to bring unprecedented economic and social development to our people.” In March 2017, following pressure from environmental activists, Congress overwhelmingly approved a ban on metallic mining, citing it as a destructive industry harmful to the environment and public health.
