Mendoza

Water defenders and environmental activists have convened in Mendoza, Argentina, in what is being called the 'Abrazo de Mendoza', a gathering in response to the criminalization of environmental protest. Participants are denouncing legal persecution faced by those defending water resources and calling for protection of frontline communities. Independent outlets report solidarity among activists across the region facing similar repression.

Academics at the National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo) in Mendoza, Argentina, are questioning three mining projects planned for Malargüe, warning they pose risks to glaciers, water resources and biodiversity. The department, in southern Mendoza province, sits near the Andes, where glacial and high-mountain ecosystems feed rivers relied on for agriculture and drinking water. The university's scrutiny adds an academic voice to ongoing debates over mining expansion in fragile Andean zones.