Peru crisis extends block 192 community engagement

Peru’s government has extended the validity period of a working group established last year to address community demands in the influence area of upstream hydrocarbons block 192.

The period was extended to December 31 from June 14, “due to the fact that it has not been possible to install the working group to date due to the political and social crisis that began on December 7, 2022,” the social management and dialogue department said in a resolution.

“The need persists to continue articulating with public and private entities, and other local and national actors, to contribute to the solution proposals to meet the main demands of the thirteen (13) communities of the Cuatro Cuencas group, in the province of Datem del Marañón and the province of Loreto,” added the department, which is part of the presidential cabinet.

Read Petroperú's presentation stage to CCNN for Block 192 ends

The resolution comes amid a new round of nationwide protests against embattled President Dina Boluarte’s administration due to take place in the coming days.

Local ombudsman Defensoría del Pueblo’s latest social conflicts report shows that the number of conflicts in May reached 223, close to the recent record seen in April and led by Loreto with 29.

Of the 223 conflicts, 168 were active and 55 latent, of which 140 were related to socio-environmental disputes.

The mining sector with 94 accounted for most of the socio-environmental conflicts, followed by the hydrocarbons sector with 28.

The report, available here and in the Documents box in the upper right corner, also classifies 26 cases/situations as “early alert” and 58 “under observation,” and states that there were 223 protests in May.