The Strike Committee and the Frente de Defensa de Espinar (Front for Defense of the Interests of Espinar District) did not accept the proposal made by the Prime Minister Javier Velásquez Quesquén, and resumed their strike, announcing they will take more radical actions, breaking the truce they had agreed upon.
The Espinar people do not agree with the projected usage of the waters of the Apurimac River in favor of draft-Siguas Majes II, so they are against the construction of the Angostura Dam, which (according to the villagers) would damage their water supply.
Apart from halting activities in the city, protesters are taking control of bridges, and currently more than 3,000 people are blocking the road Arequipa-Juliaca, according to La Republica.
According to Nestor Cuti, representative of the Frente de Defensa de Espinar, they are expecting that more than 15,000 people are to join the protests (which started on November 9th) today.
Cuti claims that the projected Angostura Dam would run the river dry, which is their only source of water for agricultural and for human consumption as well. “At present we have water supply only two hours a day. If this dam is built, we will not have water at all,” he said.