El Cachón communities demand prior consultation regarding potential mining operations
The Los Almendros and Reyes Gómez Neighborhood Associations, belonging to the El Cachón Municipal District in Barahona, have filed a formal request with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The main objective is to ensure that any mining exploitation project, material extraction, or intervention in the vegetation of their mountainous areas is subject to mandatory consultation with local residents.
Community representatives emphasize that granting permits to companies like Grancera or to individuals with extractive interests, without taking into account the opinion of the residents, constitutes a latent threat to the water resources and the ecological balance of the region. For these organizations, administrative legality is not enough if it does not have the so-called social license, which is the support and approval of those who inhabit the territory.
Irregular construction and environmental background reported
The concern of the inhabitants of El Cachón has intensified due to the construction of a road in the El Cobo sector, a project attributed to Mayker González. According to the complainants, this intervention is being carried out irregularly, lacks the necessary authorizations, and directly puts the community’s forested and water areas at risk.
Any activity of this nature requires not only legal permits, but also a social license, that is, the acceptance and approval of the residents who inhabit and depend on the affected territory.
Community leaders of El Cachón
Neighborhood leaders pointed out that González has a documented history of extractive operations carried out without the necessary environmental permits. According to statements from neighborhood associations, this businessman has faced similar situations in Baní, Azua, and other areas of Barahona, where he has been questioned for the environmental damage resulting from his unauthorized extractive activities.
Faced with this situation, residents have announced that they will hold a community vigil at the construction site to demand the halting of the work and respect for their environmental rights.
