RedAJ offers workshops about how to act in case of repression and raise awareness about the right to be consulted “when it comes to installing a mega project with the consequences it has on the environment” says Romina Tello Cortez, one of the lawyers.

“Especially in terms of criminalization of the protest, which is the most pressing issue to address in these cases”.

The network aims to democratize the technical information and a mapping of the mechanisms offered by the state to file national and international claims on mining.

Access to a lawyer is not easy for the assembly members in the interior of the country. In many cases they have close relationships with the political or business power, says Tello Cortez, “so they cannot be trusted with the resolution of these conflicts”.

However, the expert admits that the legal or administrative mechanism may have “a timing that does not answer to the need of the assembly members”, and that many times the claims “end up in nothing”.

Tello says: “The problem does not come down to the legal aspect, but on being aware that we have to pressure on all fronts”.

“The Judiciary is far from being aware of the needs of the population- warns Tello Cortez. If it does, it usually turns a deaf ear, it opts for being accomplice or giving in to the business pressures”.

For these reasons the legal mechanism should not be the main tool in the struggle. “It can support other kinds of measures taken by the assemblies, especially those that help strengthen direct democracy”.

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