Argentina's Lithium White Gold War on Indigenous People

The Argentina constitutional reforms, approved in June 2023, included alterations limiting the right to demonstrate and modifying Indigenous land rights, ostensibly to facilitate lithium mining. Jujuy, situated in the “lithium triangle,” holds vast lithium reserves. Argentina, with the world’s second-largest lithium deposits, saw a surge in lithium exports in 2022, and according to The Guardian, the newly elected president, Javier Milei, pledged to boost the sector.

The reforms were implemented without the informed consent of the public, including the sizable Indigenous population. The global demand for lithium, often referred to as “white gold” for electric car batteries and electronic devices, motivated these changes. The Guardian compiled testimonies, videos, and expert interviews, revealing alleged police repression in the weeks following the reforms, continuing as a persistent threat.

Numerous accounts pointed to indiscriminate police force, intimidation, and surveillance against protesters. Some suffered injuries, including blindness, and reported being watched even today. Indigenous communities, lacking property titles, possess ancestral territories, and protests erupted in places like Humahuaca against the government’s perceived “land grab.”

Accroding to one account, at 2 am and without a warrant, the police arrived for the first time. Rosa* found herself alone, gagged, eyes covered, and hands bound with a cable tie. Recalling the horrifying experience, she described feeling paralyzed, being choked, and subjected to verbal abuse, with one assailant assaulting her inappropriately. This brutal incident occurred following widespread protests against constitutional changes in Jujuy, a northern province in Argentina.

Joel Paredes, a ceramist, recounted police violence during a peaceful protest, where he was hit by a rubber bullet, resulting in blindness. Similar incidents unfolded in San Salvador and Purmamarca, with reports of police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators’ heads, prohibited for federal police, but allowed for state police.

The struggle against the reforms continues, with activists facing criminalization and fears of being blacklisted. Indigenous protesters, concerned about environmental impact, emphasize the detrimental effects of lithium mining on water resources. Lithium extraction requires significant water usage, raising concerns about depleting sources in arid territories like Argentina’s salt flats.

Communities remain shattered, with streets deserted due to fear. The repressive measures extended to the destruction of homes, such as in Tilcara, where Veronika* faced coercion from the police and witnessed her house being demolished without recourse.

Human rights groups condemn the repression, and international bodies like the UN have identified excessive use of force. Former human rights secretary Horacio Pietragalla filed a petition against repression. However, the Jujuy local authority denies allegations, and the government’s focus on lithium mining raises concerns about prioritizing profit over human rights.

Lawyers continue to fight for the rights of local communities, emphasizing the government’s attempts to silence voices and disappear communities for economic gains. The urgency of lithium mining seems to have overshadowed international concern for human rights abuses in Jujuy, leaving the affected communities struggling for justice.