Location
The Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa is working in the municipality of the same name, in the department of Chiquimula and formed by 14 communities.
Area of work and rights defended
The Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa are fighting for recognition as indigenous communities, the recovery of their spirituality, the defense of their territory and the right to free, prior and informed consultation before the entry of mining projects into their territory. They also seek to minimize the negative impacts of mining activities on the health of the people in their communities, denounce illegal logging and fight against gender violence in their communities.
Description of the problem
The communities of Olopa are confronting the company American Minerals S.A., which was granted a 25-year antimony extraction license in 2012, without prior consultation with the communities. In 2016, when mining activities began, the communities became aware of the negative impacts of these activities on water and the environment, and demanded the closure of the project.
On July 9, 2021, the Guatemalan Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) granted an injunction to these communities, recognizing their right to consultation, as provided for in Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), had been violated. The mining license has thus been suspended, which should result in the cessation of their work.
In addition, the Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa is pursuing legal proceedings to reclaim their lands and for recognition as indigenous communities, which would mean that the the municipal administration would have to recognize these authorities.
PBI began accompanying the Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa in June 2021, following their request, which is based on the serious increase in security incidents, defamation and criminalization processes they are experiencing.
Related information
In February 2020, the Olopa Resistance celebrated its first anniversary of the installation of a sit-in on the road to the mine. This short video tells about the struggle of the Peaceful Resistance of Olopa, at that time accompanied by Nuevo Dia, against the mining project that started its activities in their territory without a prior, free and informed consultation.
