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

This executive summary, prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, addresses the increasing violence and human rights abuses against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, specifically within the context of industrial mining.

• The report identifies a growing regional trend of repression and violence against individuals who protest mining impacts. These risks include the destruction of private property, forced displacement, death threats, arbitrary detention, kidnapping, and assassination, often occurring with the tacit acceptance of States.
• Industrial mining in Mexico and Central America, driven by high international prices for gold and precious metals, creates significant environmental risks such as noise pollution and the contamination of soil, air, and water. These impacts lead to social risks including forced displacement, government corruption, and violence.
• The violence against environmental defenders is attributed to two primary causes: the failure of States to manage the environmental impacts of mining projects, which creates conflict, and the failure of States to protect human rights and address impunity for violators.
• The report highlights a failure by the home countries of mining companies, specifically the United States and Canada, to implement and enforce legislation that prevents and punishes human rights violations committed by their companies during foreign operations.
• CIEL proposes four recommendations: strengthening institutional protections for defenders, reinforcing legal regimes for mining's environmental and social impacts, implementing the right to free, prior, and informed consent for affected communities, and holding home countries responsible for harms caused by their companies' foreign operations.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2010). ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IACHR_Exec-Summary_Oct10.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING. 2010. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IACHR_Exec-Summary_Oct10.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING |date=October 2010 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IACHR_Exec-Summary_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 AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2010}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IACHR_Exec-Summary_Oct10.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }