El Melón Farmers’ and Cattle Farmers’ Association has been facing a lawsuit from Anglo American opposing the division of collective land belonging to the association. However, Chile’s constitutional court has rejected Anglo American’s claim, with a ruling that benefits the Farmers’ and Cattle Farmers’ Association.
The association’s representative, Luis Acevedo, visited London in 2024 and attended Anglo American’s AGM to raise this issue. However, Anglo American did not withdraw its legal claim, and the association had to wait for the Constitutional Court to rule in its favour. As a result of their visit to London, the association was able to receive support during this legal process from King’s College Legal Clinic, the Universidad de Chile Legal Clinic and the London Mining Network.
El Melón Farmers’ and Cattle Farmers’ Association wants access to and sovereignty over its land. Following the ruling, the association has sent a new statement to Anglo American and is awaiting the company’s response. Read the statement below.
El Melón, Chile, 14th July 2025
Mr Stuart Chambers,
Chair Anglo American PLC,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Luis Acevedo Despecci, and I am writing to you on behalf of the El Melón Farmers’ and Cattle Farmers’ Association in Chile. During Anglo American’s AGM in 2024, I had the opportunity to inform you of the issues that the El Soldado mine, which is owned by your subsidiary Anglo American Sur, has caused to our association’s members. Notably, the company has initiated legal proceedings to prevent the subdivision of our common land, a project that has long been awaited by many of our members. These legal actions have not benefited the company in anyway, and have only led to the deterioration of our community and the breakdown of dialogue with the company. They have also depleted our scarce financial resources.
Recently, Anglo American Sur sued us before the Constitutional Court of Chile, requesting that Law No. 19,386 –which regulates the subdivision and transfer of common property and land– should be declared inapplicable in this case. On 2 July, the Constitutional Court ruled against the request made by the company’s lawyers, with no right of appeal. Yet the aforementioned lawsuits, relating to the same subdivision Project, have not yet been dismissed.
The subdivision of these common lands will benefit a significant number of El Melón community members and their families without affecting the operations of the El Soldado mine. We believe that Anglo American’s potential collaboration in this project not only enables, but also promotes the economic and productive development of the area, while creating spaces for the conservation of highly vulnerable native flora and fauna.
The purpose of this letter is to reopen dialogue with the company, in order to agree on the best way to carry out this project and avoid any legal action that could hinder these conversations. We hope that Anglo American’s head office will receive this message positively and take the appropriate action to facilitate the development of this process at the local level.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
LUIS ACEVEDO DESPECCI
President
El Melón Farmers’ and Cattle Farmers’ Association, Chile