Camp in defense of Covas do Barroso

For 10 days, communities and national and international organizations gathered in Covas do Barroso in the struggle against what is promoted as the largest open pit lithium mine in Europe.

The camp has been running for three years and has attracted thousands of activists, earth defenders and journalists to the region of Barroso.

The local population, as well as their democratic institutions such as the common lands director, local parish and city mayor are overwhelmingly against the mining project and have been fighting it for 5 years now.

The project has received a so called "green light" from the Portuguese Environment Agency but it is stalled, as the company cannot access the lands legally and there are many other obstacles raised by local populations to the start of the project.

Local environmental organizations are bound to take more legal action in courts and activists promisse direct action in the future, if the company tries to pursue their goals in opening the Covas do Barroso mine.

Hundreds of people marched on August 15 at the final action of the camp, where many conversations, concerts and popular gatherings where held during the week.

The mining projects can and will be stopped, as activists join forces with local populations to defend one of the most biodiverse regions in Portugal, a long standing traditional agricultural region, as Barroso is considered a World Agricultural Heritage by the UN - FAO.

Audio:
https://archive.org/details/arruada-acampamento-barroso-2023

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBwDo2Pk_ts