Peru's Congress removed Energy and Mines minister Romulo Mucho from his post on Tuesday as protesters from small-scale miners in the Andean nation camped out at the legislature's building in the capital and intermittently halted traffic throughout the south.

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's Congress removed Energy and Mines minister Romulo Mucho from his post on Tuesday amid protests from small-scale miners in the Andean nation. Peruvian small-scale miners have been demanding a two-year extension of a program that allows them to operate temporarily, which authorities say has expanded illegal mining.

Peru’s Congress on Tuesday fired the energy and mines minister over a bill the government had introduced to increase oversight on informal miners that had prompted nationwide protests.

Thousands of small-scale miners in Peru blocked roads and camped outside Congress on Monday to demand extension of a program that allows them to operate temporarily, but which authorities say has expanded illegal mining.