Members of the Churches and Mining Network, a coalition of churches and environmental activists, met with officials of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and Pontifical Commission for Latin America on March 28.

Many in Latin America “are suffering the consequences of the extractivist mega-mining” of multinational corporations, said Father Juan Carlos Osorio Arenas of Colombia.

“We came to see if the Vatican, as a political power, can echo our voice to intervene with the Colombian government,” added Constanza Carvajal, another participant in the meetings.