ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING

The report documents a regional trend of violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America linked to industrial mining. It argues that this violence stems from state failure to manage environmental impacts and a lack of protection for defenders, often exacerbated by the influence of foreign mining companies from Canada and the United States. Through case studies in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama, the document details threats, kidnappings, and assassinations, while recommending stronger institutional protections, the implementation of free, prior, and informed consent, and greater accountability for home states of foreign corporations.

• There is a growing regional trend of violence and repression against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, characterized by threats, destruction of property, forced displacement, arbitrary detention, kidnapping, and assassination.
• The violence against environmental defenders is attributed to two primary causes: the failure of states to manage the environmental impacts of mining, which creates conflict, and the failure of states to protect human rights, leading to high levels of impunity.
• Industrial mining poses severe environmental risks, including the contamination of air, soil, and water, as well as reduced access to water and noise pollution, which directly impact the health and well-being of local communities.
• Mining operations often result in significant social risks, including government corruption, forced relocation of communities, and violence frequently carried out by private security groups with state acquiescence.
• In Mexico, case studies highlight the murder of indigenous leader Mariano Abarca (linked to Blackfire Exploration), the assault of activists from the Broad Opposition Front to the San Xavier mine, and the torture and murder of three environmental inspectors at the 'La Guitarra' mine.
• In Guatemala, the Marlin mine (Goldcorp, Inc.) has been linked to water contamination and a lack of free, prior, and informed consent, while the CGN Nickel mine in El Estor is associated with violent evictions and reports of rape by security forces.
• In Honduras, environmental defenders and journalists have faced extreme risks, including the murder of journalist Germán Rivas and the forced exile of ASONOG director Francisco Machado Leiva due to threats from Yamana Gold.
• In El Salvador, the presence of Canadian company Pacific Rim is linked to the torture and murder of environmental defender Marcelo Rivera and the assassination of Ramiro Rivera Gómez and Dora “Alicia” Recinos Sorto.
• In Panama, the government has used police force to destroy encampments opposing the Petaquilla mine and passed Law 30 (the ‘Sausage’ Law), which eliminates obligatory environmental impact evaluations and limits the right to strike.
• There is a systemic failure by the home states of foreign mining companies, particularly Canada and the United States, to enact and enforce legislation that prevents or punishes human rights violations committed by their companies abroad.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2010). ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IACHR_Eng_Oct10.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING. 2010. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IACHR_Eng_Oct10.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING |date=October 2010 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IACHR_Eng_Oct10.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2010environmental, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2010}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IACHR_Eng_Oct10.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }