Mining

PBI-Mexico accompanied lawyer María Eugenia Gabriel Ruiz interviewed by El Pais, speaks about avocados and mining

Photo: “María Eugenia Gabriel Ruiz, indigenous Purépecha activist from Michoacán, in Madrid Río on 26 September.” Photo by Mario Bermudo. María Eugenia Gabriel Ruiz is an Indigenous Purhépecha lawyer and member of the Human Rights Solidarity Network (Red Solidaria DH), an organization accompanied by the Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project. El Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Canada calls on Minister Ng to support environmental defenders criminalized for protesting Canadian mining company

Photo from November 2023 by EFE from Observatory of Mining Conflicts in Latin America (OCMAL) website. Peace Brigades International-Canada is one of 122 organizations to have signed a letter to Mary Ng, the Canadian Minister of International Commerce and Economic Development, to withdraw her support for First Quantum Minerals. Photo: Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomán People in Chinautla in struggle against sand mines

PBI-Guatemala has posted: “On Tuesday [October 15], #PBIacompanies the women at the #Chinautla Poqomam Village Peaceful Resistance. At their meeting, they updated us about their upcoming activities and expressed their concerns regarding the safety situation of the community and defenders. They also shared with us their struggle for the recovery Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

COFADEH warns of the dangers to the family and companeros of murdered Guapinol River defender Juan Lopez in Honduras

Photo: Cofadeh coordinator Bertha Oliva speaks at media conference, October 9, 2024. Photo by Orlando Sierra/AFP. The Spanish news agency EFE reports: “The Committee of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared in Honduras (Cofadeh) warned on Wednesday [October 9] that the lives of the relatives of environmentalist Juan López, murdered Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Honduras accompanies the Municipal Committee at initial hearing for three men accused of killing Guapinol River defender Juan Lopez

PBI-Honduras has posted: “Today in San Pedro Sula we accompany the Municipal Committee for Defense of Common and Public Property in the initial hearing against the defendants in the case of the murder of #defender Juan Lopez. To achieve #justice for Juan, it is essential that there is an impartial, Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Investigative report details connections between U.S.-based steel producer Nucor and Los Pinares mine in Honduras

Photo: “Protest of the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) against the Ecotek thermoelectric project in Tocoa, during an open town hall to socialize the plant. Tocoa, Colón, December 2023. Photo: CC / Fernando Destephen.” An investigative report by Contra Corriente and Drilled reveals that Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Municipal Committee demands the arrest of the intellectual authors of the murder of Guapinol River defender Juan Lopez

Video still: A “Great Diocesan Walk” in Tocoa on Sunday October 6 to honour the life of environmental defender Juan Lopez. As the Walk took place, Guapinol Exige Justicia tweeted: “True justice for our comrade and coordinator Juan Lopez will come once the murderous megaproject of Emco Holding is cancelled Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Report says threat of free trade agreement lawsuits may have impeded action against Los Pinares and Aura Minerals mines in Honduras

On October 3, a 136-page report was released titled The Corporate Assault on Honduras: How mafia-style investments undermine the Honduran people’s struggle for democracy and dignity (available in Spanish here). The report authored by Luciana Ghiotto, Jen Moore, Aldo Orellana López, Karen Spring and Manuel Pérez-Rocha was published by the Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Indigenous land defenders from Ecuador face the risk of reprisal after speaking against Canadian mining companies

Photo: Ivonne Ramos, Hortencia Zhagüi, Rachel Lim (Amnesty International), Louise Casselman (Public Service Alliance of Canada/PSAC), Zenaida Yasacama and Fanny Kaekat at public forum in Ottawa, October 3, 2024. Photo by Laura Avalos (PSAC). CBC News reports: “Indigenous women from Ecuador are in Ottawa this week raising concerns a proposed Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

100+ organizations call for rigorous investigation into the masterminds behind the murder of Juan López

Photo of Juan Lopez from Criterio.hn. Criterio.hn now reports: “More than 100 civil society organizations have raised their voices in an urgent appeal to the President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, following the murder of environmental defender Juan López on September 14 in Tocoa.” That letter (dated September 27 and posted Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago