Day of Action against mining in Portugal, 28 January 2022

Our friends at MINAS NÃO in Portugal have issued the following call to solidarity for 28 January 2022

«No more a lonely fight, now we fight together.

They are not alone, we are not alone.»

Words of members of the National Indigenous Congress

from Mexico, while visiting Portugal in 2021.

Under the current Mining Development Plan, around 25% of Portugal is under threat. Natural Wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, protected zones, tourist areas and fully populated cities are part of the plan and will be the victims of the Eurofever for the white gold: Lithium. However, Lithium is actually used to camouflage the extraction of more than 30 minerals under the disguise of a “green and ecological” transition.

To resist, Portuguese men, women, elderly and children from 7 cities all over the country are taking to the streets and the squares on the 28th of January, just before National Elections, to scream loud and clear: No to Mining! Yes to Life! #NãoàsMinasSimàVida

Portuguese people reject these projects as they only promise to bring destruction, contamination, poverty and water scarcity under the “ecology” logic of capitalism: extractivism to privatize profits and socialize losses. Today we stand up for Life with Portugal and with everyone fighting deathly extractivist projects in their geographies.

We learnt from the Zapatista visit to Portugal and Europe that we cannot fight alone against the capitalist system that threatens our communities, territories and cultures. Inspired by the Zapatista seed of resistance, we are inviting collectives in Portugal, the UK, Mexico and the rest of the world to join us in demanding an end to the mining concessions.

During January 28th and the following days, please help us share information about our National Mobilization using the links, images and hashtags suggested below. We also call for a week of international solidarity later in February, from the 21st to the 27th, for which we will send more info in the coming weeks. Share the content and replicate the voices of those fighting for life!

MINAS NÃO, Portugal.

HASHTAGS:

#NãoàsMinasSimàVida

#MinasNão

#OurStruggleIsforLife

#WeDrinkWaterNotLithium

#PortugalUnderAttack

#NoToMiningYesToLife

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/minasnao

MAP of mining activities in Portugal:

https://miningwatch.pt/mapadominerio/index.html