Peru’s Supreme Court today dismissed Yanacocha’s appeal of the Superior Court of Cajamarca’s 2014 ruling acquitting members of the Chaupe family of ‘aggravated usurpation’ when they occupied land parcels owned by the company in August of 2011. The Court stated that there was no evidence specifically identifying members of the Chaupe family as having exercised violence when they entered the property at Tragadero Grande. 

This particular court ruling did not address the issues surrounding ownership and possessory rights of the disputed land parcel. In fact, the Court declared in its ruling that the possessory rights of the parties involved in the land dispute should be resolved through the civil court process.

Javier Velarde, Yanacocha’s Vice President, General Manager & Corporate Affairs, said, “Yanacocha respects the ruling in this criminal case, and we will continue defending the company’s ownership rights through the civil cases still pending before the courts. We also will continue working to achieve a fair and durable resolution to this land dispute through direct, good-faith dialogue with the Chaupe family.”

In the meantime, Yanacocha is asking the Chaupe family to act in good faith and not invade or occupy Yanacocha’s other lands adjacent to the disputed parcel.

Yanacocha is committed to complying with its legal obligations while respecting the Chaupe family’s human rights.

About Yanacocha
Yanacocha is one of South America’s largest gold mines. It is located in the province and department of Cajamarca, some 800 kilometers northeast of Lima, Peru. The operation is a joint venture among Newmont Mining Corporation (51.35%), Minas Buenaventura (43.65%) and the International Finance Corporation (5%). Yanacocha is in production since 1993, providing directly and indirectly thousands of well paid jobs and contributing with nearly US$ 3 billion in taxes and royalties. In addition, Yanacocha has invested more than $640 million in social development, including infrastructure for the local communities, facilities for water, education, health, support for agriculture, and the development and training of local companies.

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Newmont Corporation

Newmont Goldcorp is the world’s leading gold company and a producer of copper, silver, zinc and lead. The Company’s world-class portfolio of assets, prospects and talent is anchored in favorable mining jurisdictions in North America, South America, Australia and Africa. Newmont Goldcorp is the only gold producer listed in the S&P 500 Index and is widely recognized for its principled environmental, social and governance practices. The Company is an industry leader in value creation, supported by robust safety standards, superior execution and technical proficiency. Newmont Goldcorp was founded in 1921 and has been publicly traded since 1925.

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