Yolanda Oquelí (foreground) meets with Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina and Minister of The Interior Mauricio Lopez Bonilla. Photo: Giles Clarke In an uncharacteristic move, President Otto Pérez Molina and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) invited members of the peaceful resistance of La Puya to a high [...]
On Friday June 7, Alberto Rotondo, former security manager for Tahoe Resources, was summoned to appear for the second time in a Guatemalan court. During the first hearing on May 7, Rotondo was charged with assault and obstruction of justice in connection to the April 27 attack outside Tahoe's [...]
On Saturday April 27, mine security at Tahoe Resources' Escobal project opened fire on community members peacefully gathered outside the mine site. Six men were shot and seriously injured. This incident set of a chain of events, eventually resulting in the declaration of a state of siege in four [...]
During the early hours of Thursday, May 2, one day after the first anniversary of the state of siege in Santa Cruz de Barillas, Huehuetenango, the Guatemalan government declared another state of siege in four municipalities surrounding Tahoe Resources’ Escobal mine. The imposition of martial law comes less than one [...]
Today, NISGUA and the International Coalition against Unjust Mining in Guatemala (CAMIGUA), presented a petition with over 4,000 signatures to Guatemalan Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz asking her to launch an investigation into the murder of Xinca leader Exaltación Marcos Ucelo. Ucelo was abducted, together with three other [...]
Hoy NISGUA y La Coalición internacional contra la minería injusta en Guatemala (CAMIGUA) presentaron una petición con más de 4000 firmas a la Fiscal General Claudia Paz y Paz pidiendo que ella se realice una investigación sobre la muerte del líder Xinca, Exaltación Marcos Ucelo. Ucelo regresaba de una consulta [...]
Communities in the departments of Santa Rosa and Jalapa have been peacefully resisting the proposed Escobal silver mine, operated by Minera San Rafael, Guatemalan Subsidiary of Canada's Tahoe Resources for more than three years. Since 2011, residents have carried out eight community consultations in which more than 35,000 people [...]
NISGUA continues live coverage of the trial in Guatemala of Efraín Rios Montt and Mauricio Rodriguez Sánchez for genocide crimes against humanity. See our archive of live Twitter updates at @NISGUA_Guate. Read our previous summaries: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4/5 and full archive of ongoing live Twitter coverage.The first [...]
"The past is still present." -- Independent journalist, commenting on recent attacks against activistson the eve of the Ríos Montt trial On Sunday, March 17, the President of the Xinca Indigenous Parliament and three other Xinca leaders were abducted by a group of heavily armed men. While two of the [...]
Participe en la acción urgente dirigida a Goldcorp - Versión en españolCanadian mining company with U.S. investors could leave indigenous communities with multi-million dollar bill to pay.We need your support to help defend the rights of indigenous peoples affected by mining in Guatemala's western highlands.On April 26, Goldcorp will hold [...]
El 26 de enero, 2011, tras negociaciones sostenidas entre el gobierno de Guatemala y la Gremial de Industrias Extractivas -GREMIEXT-, ente que aglutina, entre otros, a las empresas extractivas de minerales operantes en el país, fue acordado un aumento voluntario de las regalías a pagar por éstas al Estado guatemalteco [...]
On January 26, 2011, following negotiations between the Guatemalan Government and the Union of Extractive Industries (GREMIEXT), a body which brings together, among others, the companies responsible for the exploitation of minerals in the country, an agreement was reached regarding a voluntary increase in royalties to be paid by these [...]
Español abajo FREDEMI: Public denunciation of the persecution against defenders of land and collective rights: the persecution of Gregoria Crisanta Pérez On Wednesday August 31st at approximately 3:30 pm in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Ms. Gregoria Crisanta Pérez was leaving the village of Máquivil on her way to her home in [...]
A resident of Nueva Santa Rosa holds up her index finger after exercising her right to vote. Delmi Arriaza In July, almost 13,000 residents from two municipalities in the department of Santa Rosa voted against all mining projects on their land. The municipalities are two of five in the [...]
Steve Laudeman. Según el texto del estudio, Laudeman es "Ingeniero geologo y civil con 21 años de experiencia en materiales peligrosos, manejo de residuos, construcción de carreteras, minas y canteras, e infraestructura para reservas naturales".Graham HuntEl 27 de julio, 2011, se presentó en la Ciudad de Guatemala el estudio "Asuntos [...]
Steve Laudeman. According to the text of the study, Laudeman is "A geological and civil engineer with 21 years of experience in dangerous materials, management of residues, construction of highways, mines and quarries, as well as infrastructure for nature reserves."Graham HuntOn July 27, 2011, in Guatemala City, the study "Issues [...]
En la siguiente carte dirigida a las autoridades Guatemalecas y Goldcorp Inc., la Coalición en contra la Minería Injusta de Guatemala (CAMIGUA) expresa su profunda preocupación en relación a los informes sobre la violencia ocurrida el 28 de febrero de 2011 en la municipalidad de San Miguel Ixtahuacán. CAMIGUA entiende [...]
In the following letter to Guatemalan authorities and Goldcorp Inc., the Coalition Against Unjust Mining in Guatemala (CAMIGUA) expresses its profound concern following reports of violence in the municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacán. CAMIGUA believes that the recent incident underscores an urgent need for the Guatemalan government to fully implement [...]