Lima (EFE) .- The 13 workers of the powerful gold mine who were kidnapped were found dead this Sunday, allegedly executed by hitmen in a softener of the site located in northern Peru, according to local media reporting sources from the Executive and relatives of the victims.
The bodies were found handcuffed, with shots in the head and neck, and the remains are recovered by the National Police, according to images shared by the Epicentro TV portal and the Panorama Sunday program in its accounts of the social network X.
The relatives of the victims, who denounced their disappearance a week ago in the province of Pataz, declared in emergency for the violence of illegal mining, confirmed to the América Televisión channel that the 13 workers who provided security services in the powerful mine found them dead.
last Friday, the powerful mining company reported that illegal miners colluded with criminals kidnapped 13 workers who provided services to an artisanal miner with whom the company maintains an exploitation contract.
The company expressed a deep concern and solidarity with the families of the victims and regretted that the climate of violence continues to climb in the region, affecting those who develop their work activities in the area.
He explained that this “unfortunate event” occurred after criminals attack the operation of the artisanal miner to take control of it.
The mine where the tragedy of the miners in Peru happened
The gold mine is located in the province of Pataz, in the department of La Libertad, and the Government declared it in emergency due to the increase in organized crime linked to illegal mining, which has caused several attacks against miners and its infrastructure.
“Powerfully draws the attention that last week the National Police of Peru has mobilized more than 800 troops for an operation that, unfortunately, did not contemplate major interdictions of illegal mouths located in the area where the clashes occurred,” he added.
He said that since 2020 illegal mining has taken several of their concessions, which has forced them to abandon work, and has put the lives of their workers at risk.
In the same province of Pataz, an ambush of alleged illegal miners against workers of the Araracoto Mining Camp, on Saturday, left eight injured, including two police officers, which they evacuated by helicopter.
The National Police of Peru reported that the workers and police officers were ambuscated in their vehicles when they entered the Caravelí mining processing plant, located in the populated center of Jucusbamba, in the district of Tayabamba
