Artists and residents of the southern Argentine province of Chubut are preparing for a 400-kilometer march to protest open-pit mining projects that involve the use of cyanide. The Poets and Artists March will set out on Mar. 3 from the southeastern city of Trelew, near the Atlantic coast, and arrive on Mar. 10 at the city of Esquel in the westernmost area of Chubut, at the foot of the Andes Mountains.

"We want to create awareness by shining a spotlight throughout the entire week on the issue of this type of mining, which pollutes the soil, water and air," Luis Carranza, one of the caravan’s organizers, told Tierramérica.

The protesters will be divided in groups who will march in relay, with each covering a stretch of 60 kilometers.