McEwen explained on Monday that certain individuals involved in the blockade believed that the yearly payments and infrastructure improvements made to the local communities should increase significantly.

“El Gallo has operated harmoniously with the local communities since mining started in 2012, having demonstrated a long-standing track record of supporting local communities. In this context, the current situation is surprising,” the company said in a statement.

The site remained minimally staffed to maintain appropriate safety and security, and the environmental systems.

El Gallo has been residual heap leaching since the third quarter of 2018 and is expected to contribute 3% to 4% to the company’s gold-equivalent production in 2021.