PERUVIAN farmers confronted security forces on Wednesday as they launched a two-day protest against a Mexican-owned copper-mining development.

Soldiers in riot gear fired tear gas and rubber bullets as farmers burnt tyres and blocked a bridge in Peru’s southern highlands.

“Mining is a malignant cancer that has only brought us blood and pain,” said Martiza Chite, a protester carrying a black banner reading “No More Deaths.”

President Ollanta Humala said that people linked to the Maoist Shining Path guerilla group had infiltrated the protesters’ ranks to incite violence.

Mr Humala has strongly defended the £916 million Tia Maria copper mine project, arguing that it is needed to grow Peru’s resource-dependent economy.

Peru is the world’s third-largest copper producer and 62 per cent of the country’s export revenue comes from mining.

The national ombudsman said there were 93 other mining conflicts throughout the country, many led by small farmers.