ENC · Public desk · Next 6:00 AM / 6:00 PM Eastern
← Back to HomeArchive

‘Water yes, mining no!’: the 87-year-old farmer who became a nature hero in Colombia

Attributed to The Guardian. ENC is not independently verifying these facts.

‘Water yes, mining no!’: the 87-year-old farmer who became a nature hero in Colombia

Still from the source feed, not produced by ENC.

ENC Summary

Single-source

The Guardian is currently the only allowlisted source on the desk for this item.

Missing information

  • No second independent outlet is on the desk for this item yet.

What to watch next

  • Whether the original outlet issues a correction or update.
  • Whether a second independent allowlisted outlet publishes on the same development.
  • Whether later excerpts change the numbers or the framing.

Claim states describe the source record, not independently verified truth. Green and cyan never mean “confirmed.”

The Guardian reports the following. ENC is republishing it as an attributed briefing, not as independently confirmed fact. If this item is false or incomplete, the responsibility sits with The Guardian, which released it. Porfirio Garcés is one of the ‘Jerico 11’, who face kidnapping charges after opposing a copper mine. Now, with a far-right president prioritising extraction, their fight has become more urgent In the rural hamlet of Palo Cabildo in Colombia ’s western Andes, 87-year-old farmer Porfirio Garcés tends to his anthuriums in the garden of his small house. He talks with passion about his vinyl record collection, which ranges from classical to pop music, but his main interest now lies elsewhere: his homeland, to which he feels a deep connection – and his desire to protect it. Numerous water sources originate in the area, supplying not only Jericó, where Garcés lives, but also several neighbouring towns in the Antioquia region. A sign with a clear message hangs on the main porch of his property: “… Original link: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/oct/01/water-yes-mining-no-the-87-year-old-farmer-who-became-a-nature-hero-in-colombia

More on Science & Research

Same topic on this desk, not a claim that these outlets agree. Each keeps its own original link.

Reader discussion

Comments are public only after review. Keep personal thoughts private in your saved items.

Sign in to join the discussion

My profile & saved items

Part of the EcoAlaxy constellation

Public briefings are open. Sign in to save stories, keep private thoughts and contribute.