At least 17 more are seriously injured, including three in critical condition, after police opened fire on demonstrators. Ten had gunshot wounds.

At least three people were shot and killed by police and 17 are seriously injured in the Peruvian province of Cotabambas after being shot at and teargassed in a protest against mining the US$7.4-billion Chinese project Las Bamba, as the government calls on demonstrators to dialogue while deploying a massive security force.

Leader of the Front for Defense of the Interests of Cotabambas (FDIC) Jaime Osorio said the disturbances unleashed when a rally of 15,000 people was attacked by police who launched tear gas at them.

Osorio denounced that protesters are denouncing that the environmental impact study of the mining project was modified and manipulated, hiding the true cons and allowing for the project to go ahead with disregard to health and ecology. Our correspondent in Peru, Rael Moral, originally reported two dead, but since has updated his information.

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