The **Esquel Anti-Mine Movement** was an
[environmentalist](Environmentalism "wikilink") movement active in
[Argentina](Argentina "wikilink") from [2002 to
2006](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_South_America "wikilink").

## Background

In 2002 the local government granted a gold mining permit to US-Canadian
mining company Meridian Gold. The permit allowed them to build a large
open-pit gold mine 7 kilometres from the town of Esquel, Argentina.
Concerns were raised about the potential for a cyanide contamination
(used to leach gold from ore and highly toxic to humans) in the towns
water supply and to nearby forests with endangered trees.\[1\]

## Events

The movement started with the formation of a [popular
assembly](Democratic_Assembly "wikilink") to coordinate the action,
composed of 3,000 people (in a town of 31,000). The assembly coordinated
protests and invading town council meetings on several occasions. Courts
ruled in the assemblies favour, and a referendum held in the town showed
most people rejected the mine. Meridian refused to abandon the project,
and the assembly illegally obtained recordings of a shareholder meaning
discussing methods of astroturfing and bribes to win over the community.
Leading to widespread anger and disgust.\[2\]

## Results

Courts eventually blocked Meridian from construction the gold mine.\[3\]

## References

<references />

1.  [Global Nonviolent Action
    Database](Global_Nonviolent_Action_Database "wikilink"): [Esquel
    community opposes to gold mining,
    Argentina, 2002-2006](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/esquel-community-opposes-gold-mining-argentina-2002-2006)
2.
3.