FETS joins the international campaign that denounces that the Alpayana mine threatens the water system that supplies Lima and puts millions of people at risk.
The international campaign calling on Banco Santander to withdraw its financial support for the Ariana mining project gains momentum with the support of FETS - Ethical Financing , which warns of the risk the mine would pose to the Marcapomacocha water system , the main water source for Lima and Callao . The call comes at a time when Peruvian activists are calling for global support to stop a project that could compromise access to water for 11 million inhabitants .
The Ariana project, promoted by the mining company Alpayana , has a $100 million loan from Santander in 2025. This financing gives the bank decisive influence over the company, which, according to the promoting organizations, opens an opportunity for Santander to act and help avoid a major environmental and social impact. Activists in Lima have met with representatives of the bank in Spain, but have not yet received a response.
FETS emphasizes that this case shows that money is not neutral: it can support extractive projects that threaten territories and rights, or put itself at the service of life, environmental justice and the sovereignty of peoples . The organization recalls that local communities have been resisting the project for years, including legal actions that have reached the Supreme Court of Peru, while Alpayana remains willing to push it forward.
The international campaign denounces that this is not an isolated case. European banks and investors allocate billions to mining companies linked to land grabbing, pollution and human rights violations around the world. Although some argue that projects like Ariana could provide metals for the energy transition, the organizations recall that “they do not offer their own water supply or their territories for the supposed green growth”.
The promoters encourage people to sign the international petition calling on Santander to use its influence to stop the Ariana project . They recall that for more than a decade, global movements have supported communities resisting mining projects that threaten their homes, livelihoods and the territories they consider sacred, from Indonesia to Mexico, Alaska and Australia.
FETS reaffirms its commitment to these struggles and to the need for a financial system that does not put communities or ecosystems at risk. The campaign summarizes it with a clear message: Santander, this is where it stops .
Add new comment