
“La Puya Lives Because It Resists” reads a mural, Photo credit: Romi Fischer-Schmidt
Organizations and individuals from around the world, including BTS, came together to offer words of admiration and solidarity with the La Puya Peaceful Resistance. For 12 years, the communities of San José del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc have stood in unwavering resistance to the violent imposition of the El Tambor gold mine by US-based mining company, Kappes, Cassiday & Associates.
In 2016, Guatemala’s Constitutional Court suspended the mining project because of the failure to consult with the affected Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel and Xinka communities in the area. Since then, Kappes, Cassiday & Associates brought a more than US$400 million suit against the Guatemalan government using the CAFTA-DR agreement, in retribution for the mine closure. As the letter states, “The Guatemalan people should not have to pay a penny to KCA, which operated illegally, relied on violent repression against the peaceful resistance, and is now taking advantage of the neocolonial free trade framework to try to make millions.”
Please find the letter copied below:
12 years of struggle at La Puya in Guatemala:
For water and life with dignity and self-determination
March 2, 2024
This year on March 2, the Peaceful Resistance La Puya will mark 12 years in resistance, reminding us of the fundamental importance of community organization, unity and steadfast commitment to territorial defense and self-determination. We salute the historic 106-day long uprising led by the Ancestral Authorities of Guatemala in defense of democracy and to demand the resignation of corrupt officials. This was essential to ensure the transition of power was carried out with respect for the popular will expressed in the elections on August 20, 2023.
In this context, we celebrate La Puya’s twelfth year and your ongoing local organizing efforts in the Maya Kaqchikel and Xinka communities of San José del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc. Such organizing is vital to sustain the long-term fight in defense of water, territory, health, identity, and respect for their self-determination. This struggle is critical to ensure that the illegal mining project Progreso VII Derivada does not restart and to halt future mining activity in this territory.
Organizing at La Puya demonstrates the importance of building intergenerational processes that value creativity and commitment from the youngest to the oldest. It is a struggle where women’s leadership in the defense of water and community health shines.
We also admire the dignified and committed manner in which your 27 delegates, appointed by their communities, are preparing together with the Indigenous leadership of San José Nacahuil to exercise your self-determination through the Constitutional Court-ordered consultation on the future of the Progreso VII Derivada mining project, suspended since early 2016.
We reaffirm our commitment in solidarity especially at you navigate the consultation and work to ensure that the U.S. company Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) does not unduly intervene in the process, beyond complying with its obligation to share the required information about its mining project.
In addition, we remain attentive for the results of the unjust lawsuit filed by KCA against the State of Guatemala under the terms of the Free Trade Agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States (CAFTA-DR) at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) for more than US$400 million. The company filed the suit after the suspension of its mining project for lack of consultation with the affected indigenous population. The Guatemalan people should not have to pay a penny to KCA, which operated illegally, relied on violent repression against the peaceful resistance, and is now taking advantage of the neocolonial free trade framework to try to make millions.
We send congratulations and deep respect, hoping that you enjoy your anniversary celebration with much joy and resistance.
Long live La Puya!
Organizations
Latin America
Protection International Mesoamérica
Red Latinoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Sociales y Ambientales
Guatemala
Asociacion Campesina de Agricultura Ancestral Maya Q’eqchi’
Asociadas por lo Justo JASS Mesoamerica
H.I.J.O.S. Guatemala
Ilugua
Protection International
Resistencia Costa Sur
México
Asamblea de Pueblos Indígenas del Istmo en Defensa de la Tierra y el Territorio
Bios Iguana A.C.
Centro para los Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios
Cochitlehua Centro Mexicano de Intercambios A.C.
Comité Autónomo de Agua Potable de San Pablo Tecalco, Defensa del Agua
Frente Popular en Defensa del Soconusco (FPDS), Chiapas
GeoComunes
Mira: Feminismos y Democracias
Organización 12 Pueblos Originarios de Tecámac
Otros Mundos Chiapas/Amigos de la Tierra México
Red Mexicana de Afectadas/os por la Minería (REMA)
Rizoma Entretejiendo la Defensa de los Bienes Comunes
Sabuesos Guerreras A.C
Vecinos del Cerro de Tecalco-Chiconauhtla
Germany
Rettet den Regenwald
Austria
DKA Austria
Belgium
Pax Christi Internacional
Canada
Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network (ARSN)
Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine (CDHAL)
Education in Action
Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op
Lost Time Media
Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Martha Justice Ministry, Sisters of St. Martha
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network
Mining Justice Alliance
MiningWatch Canada
Plataforma Canada Guatemaltecxs Exiliadxs por Terrorismo de Estado
Projet Acompagnement Québec Guatemala – PAQG
Rights Action
Todos por Guatemala Canadá
France
Igapo Project
País Valenciano
Perifèries del món
Portugal
Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso
United Kingdom
The Gaia Foundation
Spain
Mundu Bakean
Salva la Selva
United States
Alianzas of Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
AZ Immigration Alliance
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Community Organizing Center
Denver Justice and Peace Committee (DJPC)
Earthworks
Guatemala Human Rights Commission
Guatemaya L.A. Mujeres en Resistencia
Institute for Policy Studies – Global Economy Program
InterReligious Task Force on Central America
New Hampshire-Vermont Guatemala Accompaniment Project
Nicaragua Center for Community Action
Project Underdog International
Provincial Council Clerics of St. Viator
Public Intellectuals for Social and Spare Change
Task Force on the Americas
Unite North Metro Denver
US-El Salvador Sister Cities
Witness for Peace Solidarity Collective
Individuals
Kelsey Alford-Jones
Maya Alvarado Chávez
Luis Alfredo Alvizures Garcia
Kathryn Anderson, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Mike Antoniades
Colin Argyle, UNIFOR
Teresa Auldridge, CEDEPCA Support Group
Laura Avalos
Dan Bieker
Richard Blum
Robert Bossie
Bridget Brehen
Frank Brincka
Andrea Brock
Hna. Dani Brought, Adoratrices de la Sangre de Cristo
Mary Brown
Pamela Brubaker
Stephan Brües, Editorial Staff, News and Information on Guatemala Fijate!
Élisabeth Bruins
Karen Bryant
Molly Butler
Maxwell T. Butterworth
Vilma Caceres
Hugo L. Camey Castellanos, Concejal Semilla San José del Golfo
Laura Carlsen, Mira: Feminismos y Democracias
Carolina, SOMI Panamá
Kathy Carpenter
Mikhaila Carr
Tara Carr-Lemke
Louise Casselman
Rafael Castillo, USAC
Marco Castillo, Latin American & Caribbean Solidarity Network
Brisna Caxaj-Rowe, Red Internacional de Solidaridad con Guatemala
Mark Cohen
Gerry Condon, Veterans For Peace
Justin Connidis
Pam Cooley
Nick Copeland, Virginia Tech
Rose Coulton
Keith Cowan, NISGUA
Val Croft
Keneth Crouse, First Congregational UCC
Marian Dalke
Diana Da Silva
Andrea Doll
Marie-Dominik Langlois, Université d’Ottawa
Arthur Donart, Pax Christi
Lynne Duffy, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
David Ericson
Oscar Escobar, Quesada Verde
Nico Estrada
Asano Fertig
Juan Gallardo
Lucy Gibson
Robert Gilman
Mary Girard
Olga Gladkikh, Martha Justice Ministry
Glendy, Movimiento Laudato Sí
Germaine Gogel
Jhonathan Gómez, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Lucero Gonzalez Alvarado
Patricia Goudvis
Amy Grace
Carey Graham
Liza Grandia, University of California-Davis, Department of Native American Studies
Rax Green
Dirk Groenenberg
William Grosh
Lawrence Hager
Amy Harlib, Yoga For Peace, Justice, Harmony With the Planet
Kevin Hayes
Marta Hernandez
Cecilia Hidalgo, PROCLADEGUA
Nicholas A. Jackson, Denver Justice and Peace Committee
Zoë Heyn-Jones
Larry Hum
Dee Halzack
Maria Hamlin Zuniga
Bernard Hammond
Will Hanlon
Helene Hannah
Sandra Hernandez, Asociacion de Guatemaltecos de Ottawa- Gatineau
Araceli Hernández Cruz, Casa de la Mujer Indígena Maseual Siuakalli Yankuikej Siuamej
Mateo Herrera, Iniciativa de Memoria Histórica
Sidney Hollander, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Catherine Hughes
Shin Imai, Osgoode Hall Law School
Elizabeth Ishmael
Helen Jaccard, Womens International League for Peace & Freedom
Janette, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Sabrina Jeria
Sarah Johnson
Lois Jordaan
José Pablo Juárez
Beatrice Junod
Mo Kafka
Zia Kandler
Rebekah Kaump
Celeste Kearney, UUCAVA
Thomas Kemple
Val Kistler
Sara Koopman
Richard Krushnic
Ausra Kubilius, SOAWatch
Isabella Lamb
Anna Leather
Pierre LeBlanc
Rudi Leibik
Cyan LeMoal
Amy Lira, Nobel Women´s Initiative
John Liss
Susanne Litke
Laura Locascio, NISGUA
Leslie Lomas
Ana Letícia Lottis
P. A. Lowry
Ken Luckhardt
Sandra Luna
Rebecca MacDonald
Egla Martinez
Vaclav Masek, USC
Linda Mashburn
Joan McFarland, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Andrés McKinley, UCA
Derek McKinley
Eleanor Millard
Eric Mills
Carol I Moeller Costa, MITF/ Task Force on the Americas
Emily & Joe Moore, Freescout Law
Michael Moore
Mary Ann Morris
Martin Mowforth
Harriet Mullaney, AFSC
Linda Musmeci Kimball
Dr. Catherine Nolin, University of Northern British Columbia
Liza Noriega
Liisa North
Olivia, Mira: Feminismos y Democracias
Rob O’Brien, NH/VT GAP
Maureen O’Connor, UMASS Lowell
Ronalth Ivan Ochaeta Aguilar, Diputado del Congreso de la República, Guatemala
Paula Orellana
Stephen Oren
Mackenzie Ostberg
Philip Pandolfi
Erin Papa
Sandra Patricia, Comuera de Nahuatzen
Alexandra Pedersen, Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University
Ruby Phillips
Martha Pierce, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Margarita Pineda Rodríguez, MURILPAZ
Bernard Pomerleau
Cristen Poynter
Richard S. Pressman, Ph.D., St. Mary’s University
Lisa Rankin
Susan Redlich
August Reed
Marleen Renders
Sunny Robinson, MAPA LACWG
Lisa Rock
Jodi Rodar
Zenaide Rodrigues, Protection International
James Rodríguez, mimundo.org
Iliana Isabel Rodríguez Ruano, Apostolado Social de la Compañía de Jesús
Kathryn Rodriguez, Denver Justice and Peace
Ángel Rojas
Nora Roman
Izabella Ronchi
Etienne Roy-Grégoire
Laurie Rubin
Kathleen Ruff, RightOnCanada.ca
Pat Rumer
Mark Sayers
Kathleen Schmitz
Jens Schneider
Carol Scott, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Melisande Seguin
Cristina Selena Mendez
Susan Sheinfeld
Lynn Shoemaker
Ellen Showell
Manuel Schulte
Tyler Slaney, UNBC
Roger E. Soles
Vicky Steinitz
Pip Strachan, Pip Strachan Rehabilitation Services
Rebecca Tatham, University of Guelph
Dayana Tepen
Don and Roberta Thurstin Timmerman, Peace Action
Michael Tomczyszyn
Joanne Tompkins, Martha Justice Ministry, Antigonish
Monique Tonet
Karine Vanthuyne, University of Ottawa
Marie-Jo Vargas
Mario F. Venegas, PhD
Susan A Verbalis
Melinda Vinqvist-Tymchuk, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Kathy Virag
Chelsea Viteri, Mazorca Facilitation
William Walls
Lee Ann Ward, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS)
Elizabeth Watts
Laura Wells
Emily Willard
Meredith Wilkinson
Claudia Willemin, Pluriversidad Maya Ch’orti’
Steve Wise
Carole Woodhall
Lenora Yarkie
Leslie Zeiger
Roni Zeiger
Rebeca Zuniga-Hamlin
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