In January 2014, the Front in Defense of San Miguel Ixtahuacán (FREDEMI) and the Pluri-Cultural Legal Association of Guatemala (PLURIJUR) filed a criminal complaint against the Mayor of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Ovidio Joel Domingo Bámaca, for the crime of servitude committed against five local communities who were the beneficiaries of precautionary measures granted by theContinue reading “2014-2017 Criminal Complaints against the Mayor of San Miguel Ixtahuacán”
Subsoil Type of Legal Action Archives
2005-2017 Criminalization of and Violence against Protestors and Mining Opponents [Marlin]
Since it began, the Marlin Mine project has been associated with several incidences of violence against environmental and anti-mine protestors, as well as a general trend toward increasing criminalization by the Guatemalan state, with high incidences of protestors and mining opponents being arrested, detained, surveilled, and threatened. One prominent example involves eight Mam Mayan womenContinue reading “2005-2017 Criminalization of and Violence against Protestors and Mining Opponents [Marlin]”
2010 Legal Actions against Montana Exploradora regarding Water Discharge from Marlin Mine
In September 2010, the Minister of the Environment, Luis Ferraté, filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the Public Prosecutor against Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp Inc., to investigate the discharge of residual waters from the Marlin Mine tailing dams because they may have contaminated the Quivichil river,Continue reading “2010 Legal Actions against Montana Exploradora regarding Water Discharge from Marlin Mine”
2012 Criminal Complaint against Marlin Mine filed by 100 Communities in San Marcos
In December 2012, leaders and representatives from approximately 100 communities in San Marcos filed a criminal complaint against the Marlin Mine project for unlawful appropriation of water, unlawful appropriation of property, industrial contamination, spreading of disease among plants and animals, intentionally falsifying and misrepresenting public documents (falsedad material y falsedad ideológica), and illegal exploitation ofContinue reading “2012 Criminal Complaint against Marlin Mine filed by 100 Communities in San Marcos”
2011-2013 Criminal charges against Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) members
In 2011, 17 members of local grassroots organization Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) faced criminal charges, including obstructing a forestry management plan in 2010 in the community of Tepalitos, in the municipality of El Porvenir. In July 2011, CAVS spokesperson, Carlos Amador, and another activist were temporarily detained on these charges, then released on bailContinue reading “2011-2013 Criminal charges against Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) members”
2007-2010 Community Complaint to Environmental Prosecutor
In 2007, the Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) filed a complaint with the Environmental Prosecutor against Entre Mares and Goldcorp regarding water course contamination and health impacts resulting from the San Martín and its closure process. In August 2007, the Forensic Medicine at the Criminal and Forensic Sciences Laboratory carried out blood and urine samples onContinue reading “2007-2010 Community Complaint to Environmental Prosecutor”
2000 Community complaint to Environmental Prosecutor
In 2000, the Siria Valley Environmental Committee (CAVS) filed a complaint with the Environmental Prosecutor, accusing Glamis Gold Ltd. (then owner of the San Martín mine) of environmental crimes. The Prosecutor conducted a 10-month investigation and sought arrest warrants for three officials of Minerales Entre Mares de Honduras, S.A., a Glamis Gold wholly owned subsidiary.Continue reading “2000 Community complaint to Environmental Prosecutor”
2004-2007 Investigation into water contamination leads to fine against company, overturned by court on appeal
In 2004, a study was ordered by the then Directorate for the Promotion of Mining (DEFOMIN) into contamination of water supplies near San Martín mine. This found that there was evidence of arsenic poisoning in the water supply to the community of Nueva Palo Ralo, a hamlet that had been forcibly relocated by the San MartínContinue reading “2004-2007 Investigation into water contamination leads to fine against company, overturned by court on appeal”
2013 State of Siege and Criminalization of Protestors and Community Leaders
In May 2013, the government of Guatemala declared a temporary “state of siege”, deploying 8,500 police and soldiers in the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores (where Escobal is located) and the surrounding municipalities of Mataquescuintla, Casillas, and Jalapa, each of which voted against mining in community consultations (consultas). The state of siege followed theContinue reading “2013 State of Siege and Criminalization of Protestors and Community Leaders”
2013- Criminal prosecution of Former Head of Security and other security guards at Escobal mine and compensation claim against Tahoe Resources
In May 2013, the former head of security for Escobal mine, Alberto Rotondo, was placed under house arrest in connection with criminal charges linking him to “an April [2013] shooting that left six injured outside Tahoe Resources’ mine in southeastern Guatemala (MiningWatch Canada, 2017). The charges included assault, aggravated assault, and obstruction justice. No chargesContinue reading “2013- Criminal prosecution of Former Head of Security and other security guards at Escobal mine and compensation claim against Tahoe Resources”
