Video still: Rosmeri Rivera, representative of the communities of the Sierra Santa Cruz in Izabal, comments on the cancellation of the licences. Video by @lahoragt.
PBI-Guatemala has posted on Facebook: “The environmental licenses were handled by Rio Nickel and Atlantic Producers companies, with Canadian capital. Since January, 54 communities in Livingston, Izabal demanded the government to cancel projects.”
On July 30, Prensa Comunitaria reported: “The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) informed the representatives of the communities of the Maya Q’eqchi’, Garifuna and mestizo people of Livingston and El Estor, Izabal, that the ten environmental licenses in the Sierra Santa Cruz, granted in the government of Alejandro Giammattei, were canceled.”
This article adds: “According to information from the Extractive Industries Observatory, the licenses in the department of Izabal were requested by the companies Río Nickel S.A. and Nichromet Guatemala, subsidiaries of the Canadian Central American Nickel (CAN).”
The Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN) has previously highlighted that: “Rio Nickel is a subsidiary of the Canadian-owned company, Central America Nickel, which is headquartered in Montréal, Quebec.”
Enrique Che, an Indigenous authority of Río Pita, in the municipality of Livingston, told Prensa Comunitaria: “We value our struggles, that we found out what the Canadian mining company was doing, now we get up and put our chests up and then ask God that our children value the work we are doing.”
Telesur also reported: “The Minister of Environment, Patricia Orantes, had previously confirmed that complaints were filed with the Public Ministry for the illegal excavations detected in the mining projects. The news of the cancellation of the licenses was received with relief and as a victory for the protection of the environment and the rights of local communities, demonstrating that the will and strength of the Guatemalan peoples to preserve their territory is decisive.”
And the Extractive Industries Observatory (OIE) tweeted: “The cancellation of these licenses, which threatened the forest, water and biodiversity of the Sierra Santa Cruz, was only possible thanks to territorial surveillance and denunciation by local communities.”
The Canadian organization Rights Action comments: “Rights Action is heartened by the cancellation of CAN’s very questionable licenses in the Q’eqchi’ lands of the Sierra Santa Cruz, Livingston, Guatemala. This short, successful, land-rights-environmental defense struggle (that we helped support) is successful … for now. Stay tuned. The global mining industry seemingly never gives up.”
We continue to follow this.
Further reading
Mayan community journalist Carlos Ernesto Choc reports on march in Izabal demanding cancellation of mining licences (PBI-Canada, May 25, 2025)
Mining resistance member Misael Mata Asencio killed in Guatemala within week of hike to look at mining exploration wells (PBI-Canada, May 20, 2025).
