Chile constitution drafters set for key debate on mining, environment
By Natalia A. Ramos Miranda and Alexander Villegas
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s constitutional meeting will begin debating dozens of articles on Thursday concerning mining, water and environmental rights that might reshape how the world’s prime copper producer regulates manufacturing of the purple metallic and minerals like lithium.
The talk will begin at 12 p.m. native time (1600 GMT) over 52 articles together with defending water sources, glaciers and wetlands earlier than voting later as we speak and on Friday. The proposals total set up stricter environmental regulation for mining.
Articles want a super-majority of 103 votes within the 154 member meeting to be added to the draft structure that can face a plebiscite later this yr. Articles that get a easy majority will bear additional amendments and future second vote.
The articles, which have been toned down amid pushback by the mining sector and concern over radical proposals comparable to mine nationalizations, would nonetheless lay the foundations for larger scrutiny of mining and its environmental affect.
Chileans overwhelmingly voted to draft a brand new structure in 2020 after protests in opposition to inequality rocked the Andean nation in 2019. Political infighting and controversial options have although led to a drop in help for the method.
The meeting has till mid-Might to approve articles for the draft structure and till July to have the draft totally accomplished. Chileans will vote to approve or reject the brand new structure on Sept. 4.
If voters reject it, the nation will follow its present market-orientated structure, which dates again to the navy dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet over three a long time in the past.
(Reporting by Natalia Ramos and Alexander Villegas; Enhancing by Alistair Bell)
