International groups denounce US mining company’s multi-million dollar claim against Guatemala and express solidarity with communities peacefully defending land and life at ‘La Puya’
The undersigned organizations stand in solidarity with Guatemalan communities in peaceful resistance to Kappes, Cassiday & Associates’ (KCA) Progreso VII Derivada gold project as the company brings a US$300 million arbitration claim against Guatemala to the World Bank´s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) over alleged violations of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
Since 2012, the communities of San José del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc have denounced the potential environmental and health impacts of the mine, as well as the violent imposition of the project against their will. For years they have maintained the peaceful encampment, known as ‘La Puya’, and have resisted repeated eviction attempts, suffering repression by state and private security forces. Despite an ongoing campaign of criminalization and defamation, and a renewed military presence in the region, the around-the-clock resistance camp continues today.
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