"Potosí judge overturns ruling that suspended lithium contracts with Russian and Chinese firms" – June 6, 2025

The Mixed Civil and Commercial Court of Colcha K, in Potosí, rejected on Thursday the popular action filed by the Provincial Unified Center of Indigenous Communities of Nor Lípez (CUPCONL). It also lifted the suspension of the lithium exploitation contracts signed with the companies Uranium One Group and Hong Kong CBC.

“The court rules to deny the protection requested through the popular action filed by Iván Calcina Copa, Eliseo Yave, and Gustavo Fausto on behalf of the Provincial Unified Center of Indigenous Communities of Nor Lípez. Second, it orders the annulment of the precautionary measures imposed by the May 27, 2025 resolution,” the judge stated.

Last week, the same court had ordered the immediate suspension of the legislative processing of the lithium contracts currently before the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, as a precautionary measure within the constitutional protection action filed by the Indigenous communities—until the substance of the legal action was resolved…