IN STEREO

How do I know that it’s lost, that I’m correct, that possibly Potosí will lose that [World Heritage] title? I would assure you that they are going to take us away because the mountain is going to sink. Sooner or later, the mountain will sink. Mining has its wealth; it makes you live the best – but with a constant danger on entering the mine, as it is already destroyed inside. Because everything is taken from inside, isn’t it? They have already taken too much. They have taken out the mineral for more than 500 years. They continue to eat the inside; they continue to take ore. Where is all that mineral? Is there anything left for Potosí? There is nothing left [and] the Potosí mountain disappears. I saw from the photos that our mountain is falling – that is what I said. Before, it was a [perfect] little point.

Now this hole is digging in because below it is like a frame, supported by beams. And do you believe that a beam is going to hold a pile of earth? It is like a skeleton inside, isn’t it? Really! Taking and taking so much out. It is held by a beam here, a beam there. It’s like alleys in there. The weight of the earth is going to sink it at any time. When you least expect it, Potosí is coming down. In my opinion, it is difficult to save UNESCO’s Potosí because we continue to take out the only support, all the mineral that can be taken out. These holes cannot be filled with nothing. So Potosí will lose that title that it has of [World Heritage] for this reason. [Is there] interest whether it falls? No. [Is there] interest to continue drawing silver? Yes, there is. – Don Freddy