Last 25 January marked the seventh anniversary of the socio-environmental tragedy of Brumadinho, in Brazil, when toxic waste from the mining company Vale buried almost 300 people. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, extractivist mining continues to cause severe harm to the environment, public health and quality of life, while fuelling profits that only deepen social inequality.
On the previous day, the social and Catholic community learned with pain and concern of Pope Leo XIV’s meeting at the Vatican with several executives from the mining and energy sectors. Companies responsible for serious human rights and environmental violations cannot be legitimised as interlocutors of the Church’s mission.
Pastoral networks and international organisations have published an open letter through the Churches and Mining Network (Red Iglesias y Minería), among whose signatories is also Pax Christi International. The document highlights how mining companies seek to co-opt religious leaders and ecclesial institutions in order to launder their image and gain social approval, particularly in territories where they face strong resistance from local communities. While recognising the value of dialogue, the text reiterates that the Church is called to listen to all, starting from victims and the poor, and to reject any form of neutrality in the face of injustice.
The appeal is addressed directly to Pope Leo XIV, urging him to listen above all to the victims of mining, to make space for an encounter with them, and to ensure that the Church continues on a path oriented towards integral ecology, in line with the principles of Laudato Si’.
The text of the letter is available below, in English and Spanish.
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