BTS June 2021 Newsletter
Read on for the latest updates from Guatemala and our Canada-based advocacy!
Consultation Process for the Escobal Mine Advances after Multi-Year Delay
Photo taken during the pre-consultation phase meetings for the Escobal Mine (Photo credit: Xinka Parliament) Written by: Maria Reyes and Indigo Christ After multiple delays, the first meeting of the pre-consultation process for the Escobal mine was held at the Xinka Parliament’s offices in Cuilapa, Santa Rosa, on [...]
Pre-consultation Process for the Escobal Mine Begins
[Direct Translation from Spanish, Original Below] Pre-consultation Process for the Mining Rights of the Escobal Mine Begins The office of the Xinka Parliament of Guatemala (PAPXIGUA), located in Cuilapa, Santa Rosa, was present at the first meeting of the pre-consultation phase for the Escobal mining law case, a milestone in [...]
Community and environmental concerns not “pertinent” to Pan American Silver’s business
Vancouver-based mining company Pan American Silver held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 12th: the final shareholder meeting for retiring founder and Board Chair Ross Beaty. To shareholders attending online, Beaty narrated a glowing chronicle of Pan American Silver’s socially and environmentally responsible history in Latin America. Yet, when [...]
Guatemala Update: April 2021
What is Making News In Guatemala: Top 3 Stories Written by Cooperants Indigo Christ and Laura Robinson COVID-19: New strains Last year the Semana Santa (Easter) holiday in Guatemala was dampened with strict curfews and travel restrictions. This year however, the holidays went about with relaxed constraints. The result has [...]
Amidst a spike in violence 3,900+ sign petition demanding Pan American Silver respect the Xinka Peoples’ rights to free and prior consent
Dear Pan American Silver, When you purchased the Escobal mine in 2019, you knew about the broad opposition to the project and that there had been violent repression against those involved in the fight. Now, your refusal to halt local programs in Xinka communities is fomenting tension and division. These [...]
Letter To the Canadian Government Re: Escalating Violence in Advance of Xinka Consultations
The following letter outlines our concern for the recent attacks against the peaceful Xinka resistance to the Escobal mine ahead of the pre-consultation. It was sent to the Canadian Government, including the Canadian Embassy in Guatemala, Global Affairs Canada, Cabinet Ministers, and the Organization of American States on March 30th, [...]
Consultations at Risk: Advances in the Escobal Mine Consultation Overshadowed by Constitutional Crisis
A new report Consultations at Risk: Advances in the Escobal Mine Consultation Overshadowed by Constitutional Crisis examines the ongoing consultation process of the Xinka people by Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines during the 2020 Constitutional Crisis. The document was produced by EarthWorks, IPS- Global Economy Program and the Maritimes-Guatemala [...]
Xinka Parliament Announces Breakthrough in Escobal Mine Consultation Process, Rejects Pan American Silver’s Bad Faith
Photo credit: Xinka Parliament On October 15, 2020, the Xinka Parliament announced that Guatemalan authorities have finally recognized their representatives elected to participate in a consultation on the Escobal silver mine. Along with other agreements, this breakthrough could allow the court-ordered process over the future of the mine to advance after being [...]
Two Years After the Ruling: A Historic Achievement in the fight and resistance of the Xinka People
By: Maria Reyes, Consultant for communications support for the SAGE project Two years have passed since the Constitutional Court of Guatemala ordered the Ministry of Energy and Mines to consult with the Xinka people regarding the Escobal mine and other extractive projects. The ruling from September 3rd, 2018, case file [...]