CERRO RICO – Next to one of the poorest villages in Bolivia is one of the richest silver mines in human history: Cerro Rico, in Spanish “Montaña rica”, a source of wealth that was once mythical for the Spanish Empire and is now excavated through artisanal miners.
The miners – self-employed workers who paint in dangerous situations in dark, poorly ventilated tunnels – live off what they earn from the silver waste they have on Cerro Rico, which slowly sinks and collapses on itself.
The paints are so deceptive that many miners drink natural ethanol before entering the tunnels, Reuters found. They also chew coca leaves, a plant used as an energy source for centuries in the Andes and also used uncooked for cocaine.
“It’s to the coca-free paintings in the mine because of the poisonous gases,” said Miguel Angel Delgadillo, who has painted on Cerro Rico for 25 years. Coca leaves are chewed on the side of the mouth, but they are not swallowed. a filter. “
Miners also have red demons like dolls in their homes and with them in the paintings, an uncommon lucky charm. The entrances to the mines have photographs of Satan, often called “uncle” (uncle).
“The miner is Catholic to the door of the mine,” Delgadillo explained. “Once you come in. . . believe in the devil.
MORTAL HISTORY
The pyramid-shaped hill of Cerro Rico, which dominates the city of Potosí, is respected by Bolivians. It is part of the coat of arms of its flag and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But Cerro Rico has a dark history. Millions of people, mostly indigenous, died running here in horrific situations under Spanish rule.
This year alone, as many as 15 other people have died here, local officials said, basically because of the collapse of the tunnels. Lung diseases are also a risk.
“Here people start running at 15 or 16, and life expectancy is about forty-five years because silicosis spreads,” Delgadillo said, referring to a form of chronic lung disease.
The deaths sounded for years the alarm about whether mining deserves to be banned or drastically reduced. But the government also faces a harsh reality: it’s a well-paid task in one of South America’s poorest countries.
“We resettled some 30,000 families and placed new work resources for them,” Juan Tellez, an adviser to the governor of Potosi, told Reuters. “People probably wouldn’t leave. “
The artisanal miners, grouped into 17 cooperatives, told Reuters they had no plans to move forward. Miners can earn around Bolivianos ($22) a day, above the national minimum wage.
“It’s transparent that we have to take care of (Cerro Rico),” said Severino Limachi, a miner there for 20 years. “But it would take a government proposal so that other people can migrate with a new job. “
($1 = 6. 8000 bolivianos) (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun and Santiago Limachi; Additional reporting by Monica Machicao and Claudia Morales; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Rosalba O’Brien)
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