The complicity of the government was such that even former President Oscar Arias declared the project of “public interest and national convenience”, something that was supported by current President Laura Chinchilla. The mining project was set to be built in Crucitas de San Carlos, in the Northern region of Costa Rica, approximately three kilometers away from San Juan River in the border with Nicaragua.

In addition, the Court ruled that the Mine and Geology Agency of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry (MINAET) should withdraw the concession granted to the Canadian mining company Infinito Gold, but their aim is also to hold authorities (among them former President Arias) criminally accountable, since they authorized the project without taking into account its environmental and social impacts.

The ruling, which will become definite on December 14th, was welcomed by community and environmental organizations who considered it a victory. The Court´s decision establishes that the Canadian company and the Costa Rican government should compensate the country and the communities for the environmental damage caused in the area.

Two 170 km-long marches, in addition to one hundred hours of fasting, were the mobilization tools against the Crucitas projects and the open pit mining concessions granted to transnational companies in Costa Rica.

Also, by early November the Legislative Assembly took another step towards the protection of mineral resources by banning open pit metal mining after strong discussions. This was the beginning of the end for Crucitas.

These measures, supported by tens of community consultations and mobilizations, marked the decision of the Court which was welcomed in Costa Rica, despite the fact that Laura Chinchilla´s administration hasn´t said anything yet.

A few hours after the decision was made public, Real World Radio interviewed Javier Baltodano, member of Coecoceiba-Friends of the Earth Costa Rica, who highlighted the importance of this ruling. “This is a victory for the Earth, for Nature, and as a movement we have always felt the Federation very close to us”.

He believes that this victory reached on November 24th wouldn´t have been possible without the international support gathered by the Costa Rican environmental movement.

Baltodano said that the Executive Power doesn´t have another choice but to respect the decision, suspend the permits and add the Court´s decision to that of the Parliament to ban open pit mining.

Once the decision becomes final “we would lift the burden off our shoulders”, said Baltodano, who remembered that according to different consultations, 98 per cent of the population rejects these projects.

It is to be expected that the Canadian company will try to combat the Court´s decision with threats of filing legal complaints against the government.

“Former President Oscar Arias was responsible, and he must be the one to blame in the case the mining company files a complaint”, said Baltodano, highlighting that the Free Trade Agreement signed by Costa Rica with Canada opens the door to these kinds of claims.

“The company is responsible because it continued with the project despite clear regulations against it. They carried on with the support of politicians, and they are the ones that must respond if the company files a complaint, not the Costa Rican State”, he concluded.

Photo: http://www.ticotimes.net/