Decision-Pending as Deadline Looms
President José Jerí’s administration is currently deliberating its stance on extending the REINFO Programme, which is set to expire on December 31, 2025. In remarks on November 4 2025, Jerí stated that “the government is determining its posture … through the sector,” signaling that no fixed decision has yet been made. The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) affirmed its willingness to engage in dialogue with mining stakeholders, but emphasized that an extension is not currently on its agenda. Without a clear executive decision, pressure is mounting as lawmakers push proposals in the national Congress to lengthen REINFO’s validity and re-include thousands of miners currently excluded from formalization.
Industry Pushback, Informal Mining Pressure
The formal mining sector, represented by Sociedad Nacional de Minería, Petróleo y Energía (SNMPE), has strongly rejected further extensions of REINFO, arguing that it has become a “shield for illegality” and undermines legitimate operators who comply with environmental, tax and labor standards. SNMPE leadership stressed that a renewal would send the wrong signal ahead of Peru’s upcoming 2026 general elections and jeopardize investment confidence. Meanwhile, groups representing informal and artisanal miners, under the umbrella of CONFEMIN, are calling for a five-year extension and reintegration of more than 50,000 excluded miners—but suggest they could accept a “three-year interim extension” if reinforced by stronger formalization support.
Why It Matters: Governance, Legitimacy & Sectoral Futures
The REINFO debate goes beyond deadline logistics—it touches on Peru’s long-standing struggle to integrate informal mining into a legal, socially inclusive, environmentally responsible framework. For the government, a decision either to extend or terminate the programme will signal its commitment to formalisation, rural development and mining governance. For the sector, the outcome affects whether small- scale operators will face exclusion, or whether informality persists in a grey zone. And for communities and the environment, the stakes are high: without clear pathways and enforcement, illegal activity may expand and undermine the rule of law. As Peru navigates this pivotal moment, the world will watch whether mining policy becomes a pillar of sustainable development—or remains mired in old patterns of exclusion and uncertainty.