In the province of Mendoza, the Assemblies for Pure Water have been peacefully fighting against mega-mining for over 15 years. On January 24, during a protest, the UOCRA gang violently attacked a comrade named Flavio González. Mauricio Cornejo, a member of the assembly, tried to help him by dispersing the gang with a fire extinguisher, saving his life.
The Mendoza authorities used the incident to incriminate Mauricio and to stigmatize all assembly members as violent, even though Vera himself admitted that it was a local character nicknamed "The Monster" who started the fire. This resulted in raids and arrests of those who participated in the protest.
Mauricio Cornejo, a musician and artist from Uspallata, was arrested a month after the incident. He is accused of attempting to set a child on fire, although Mauricio's partner in the Assembly, Eugenia Segura, asserts that they have never employed violent methods in their struggle. Mauricio remains in prison and needs medical attention for the injuries sustained during his detention.
The persecution of those defending water and the environment has intensified in Mendoza, especially with the reactivation of the San Jorge mining project in Uspallata. Mauricio's physical health is delicate, and his immediate release is being requested. The Assemblies for Water declare a state of permanent alert and demand an end to the persecution of all prisoners for fighting.
