# Peruvian cardinal calls $150m lead-poisoning settlement a ‘historic milestone’

https://mins.news/en/item/14013

- The Guardian, 2026-08-05 10:40 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/aug/05/peruvian-cardinal-historic-milestone-150m-lead-poisoning-settlement-1300-children

> Cardinal Pedro Barreto has described a $150m out-of-court settlement as a “historic milestone” for 1,373 Peruvians allegedly poisoned by a toxic smelter during childhood. The payment will come from Doe Run Company, the smelter’s operator and a subsidiary of Renco Group. Barreto spent almost 20 years challenging the US mining company’s operations in the Andes. During that campaign, he faced repeated death threats and harassment.