The Attorney General´s Office ordered a temporary halt to the mining exploitation by Canadian Goldcorp, a company who has been attacking indigenous and peasant communities for years. “This is a step towards the definite suspension of the mine, something that pleases us. We hope this becomes a reality, since it would be a very important victory after so many efforts”, said Daniel Pascual from the Peasant Unity Committee (CUC), member of La Via Campesina, in an interview with Real World Radio.

Pascual said that this is “an important first step” that could set a precedent to solve other environmental conflicts related to the 319 mining exploitation licenses operating in Guatemala, most of them granted during right-wing Álvaro Arzú´s administration from 1996 to 2000.

“This is one of our first victories and we want to set a precedent”, said the peasant leader, who was interviewed by Real World Radio at the 4th Americas Social Forum held in Paraguay.

According to Pascual, Montana Exploradora has denied any involvement in human rights violations and persecutions, even after the Inter American Commission on Human Rights ordered the Guatemalan government to suspend their activities.

The Commission´s resolution was a response to the petition submitted by 18 Mayan Man and Sipakense communities, who denounced pollution of their water sources and the illegal expropriation of lands since Montana´s gold and silver extraction activities started, during Arzú´s administration.

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