Letter from the Ejido de Carrizalillo to Equinox Gold CEO
...We regret the stance that the company has taken by communicating to the public and your investors that the conflict is at a stage of clear improvement, when in reality the opposite is taking place. We also regret that the company has opted to increase the risk of confrontation by calling back workers and contractors when, especially the latter, the majority do not even have a contract signed with you. This speaks to your already apparent disdain for labour laws that are now demonstrated with the intention to start up protocols to restart the mine.
We have no idea what Dr. Georgina Blanco (the main negotiator) told you to make you believe that it was time to celebrate, and even less idea when we read the letter that Mr. Peter Burger sent on November 15 in which the company once again presents itself as the victim of this conflict and us as the guilty party, while lying when you state that it is impossible to pay the costs for not having produced gold for months, when that is not the case based on the income reported in your Management and Discussion Analysis for three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, dated November 9, 2020.
We have already communicated with you about our community assembly’s intentions to continue talks and negotiation in such a way as to conclude this chapter in the best way possible. But your reply and the behaviour demonstrated with what you have published on your website, as well as your plans to activate workers and contractors, are an open provocation for which we will hold you responsible if something ends up happening as a result of your arrogance and lack of respect for our assembly...