The first news was welcomed with joy. Under the argument of financial problems, the Federal Electricity Commission of Mexico called off the energy initiatives that generated the greatest opposition in the last years.

Originally, La Parota would be start being built on the Papagayo river in April of this year, and there were different versions about its cost. It was estimated that its installation would flood almost 20,000 hectares of cultivable land and that would damage 25,000 peasants of 30 communities in Guerrero.

The Council of Ejidos and Communities Opposed to La Parota Dam (Cecop) celebrated the government’s decision as a very important victory, although they already filed proceedings before Felipe Calderon’s administration to have access to the document of the cancellation of the works to confirm the journalistic versions that have been circulating since the weekend.

Meanwhile, in the midland state of Jalisco, the spirit is different. There have been warnings about the construction of El Zapotillo dam there for several years. The dam would flood the communities of Temacapulín, Acasico and Palmarejo.

Despite these warnings the government plan goes ahead. A few days ago the name of the investors that will carry out the works were announced and they will sign a contractin less than a week. The company is Peninsular Compañía Constructora, in partnership with Spanish Fomento de Construcciones y Contratos (FCC)) and Hermes group.

The groups opposing El Zapotillo are sending letters to the companies that won the call for bids. In the letters they tell the companies that the dam would destroy the natural flow of the river Verde, on the banks of which people have lived for over 1400 years.

They blame the investors for their complicity in the human rights abuses against the population settled in the area and for causing “irreversible damage” to the historic, environmental, cultural and religious heritage.

“The social conditions where the project is installed, do not guarantee the safety of the investment, so we ask you to consider this before signing a contract that would force you to work in this situation of irregularities and resistance to the construction of the dam”, concluded the letter.

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