Rep. García and 11 Members of Congress Urge Secretary Blinken to Support Guatemala Land Defenders Against Illegal Mining Project
Rep. García and 11 Members of Congress Urge Secretary Blinken to Support Guatemala Land Defenders Against Illegal Mining Project
WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Jesús “Chuy” García led a letter joined by 11 Members of Congress to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, expressing support for Guatemalan land defenders known as the Peaceful Resistance La Puya in their struggle to defend their community’s health and water from a gold mining project, owned by a U.S.-based Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA). The legislators also raised concern about the Nevada-based mining company’s international arbitration suit against Guatemala under the terms of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) for more than $400 million dollars. KCA filed suit after its operations were suspended for lack of prior consultation with communities.
“Whether in Guatemala or in Chicago, people should be able to speak out about environmentally destructive development in their communities without fear of repression,” said Rep. García. “The Peaceful Resistance La Puya has been leading non-violent community resistance against an illegal gold mining project for over 10 years, and I am proud to lead my colleagues in urging U.S. support as the community consultation moves forward.”
Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Cori Bush (MO-01), and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), along with representation from the offices of Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), visited La Puya during a fact-finding mission to Central America in March 2022. These offices, along with Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Norma Torres (CA-35), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), are all co-signers of the letter.
In their letter to Secretary Blinken, the representatives underscore how “Guatemala’s legal defense in the arbitration outlines many of the concerns raised by the Peaceful Resistance La Puya and recognizes the legitimacy of their struggle. The government’s brief includes how the company’s investment in the mine increased after the community set up its permanent resistance camp, and how the company, coordinating with national police, used aggression and threats in its successive attempts to dismantle community resistance.” The letter continues, “The legal defense also makes extensive reference to evidence of the mine project’s illegality, which La Puya has denounced for years.”
The congressional letter calls on the Department of State to be on alert for potential renewed aggression against La Puya as these two processes proceed. The congress members also urge the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala to advocate for communities’ free participation in the consultation process and to speak out against any aggression or repression against land defenders. In addition, the letter asks the Embassy to abstain from providing services to the company if requested, given its failure to respect community rights, environmental obligations, and for having operated illegally in Guatemala without the required construction license.
A copy of the letter can be found in English here. A Spanish translation is available here.
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