The Cerro Blanco mine and the right to consultation

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Published: Thursday, 22 September 2022 12:20

A municipal referendum was held on September 18 in Asunción Mita, Guatemala, that will impact the future of the Cerro Blanco mine.  The question on the ballot aske

d people if they were in agreement with the presence of mining projects that would affect the natural resources in their territory, and the answer of the people was a resounding no.    

Asuncion Mita is the capital of the eastern department of Jutiapa in Guatemala and is home to the Cerro Blanco mining project. Local communities and environmental organizations have long been concerned about the environmental impacts of this project on shared waterways in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. But years of frustrations about the lack of information on the project by government authorities and lack of prior consultation by company officials led local organizations to exercise their right to call a local referendum as outlined by article 64 of the municipal code.   

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PRESS RELEASE: The municipal consultation on Cerro Blanco mine is valid and legitimate

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Published: Wednesday, 21 September 2022 16:06

Different environmental and ecofeminist organizations, ecclesial movements, and regional activist alliances participated as international observers in the municipal consultation held this past Sunday, 18th of September in the municipality of Asunción Mita, Jutiapa, Guatemala. The consultation was related to the presence of metal mining projects in Asuncion Mita, home to the controversial Cerro Blanco mining project that poses environmentmental threats for both Guatemalan and Salvadoran communities. 

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Public statement of the Local Governments of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, members of the Lempa River Trinational Border Association, regarding the “Cerro Blanco” mining project, developed by the Canadian company Bluestone Resources.

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Published: Sunday, 12 June 2022 16:38

The Governments and Local Authorities of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, represented hereby are members of the Lempa River Trinational Border Association, and also the "Trinational Network for the Rescue of the Lempa River", are gathered today in response to the threat represented by metal mining exploitation and especially the "Cerro Blanco" mining project, located in the municipality of Asunción Mita, Department of Jutiapa, Republic of Guatemala, to issue the following public statement before the national and international public opinion:

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Ostúa River contaminated with lead and arsenic from Cerro Blanco mine

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Published: Tuesday, 21 April 2020 15:18

YSUCA

The Cerro Blanco mine is located just 15 kilometres from the border with El Salvador, in the municipality of Asunción Mita in the department of Jutiapa, Guatemala. Since 2006, the project has posed a threat for El Salvador as several border towns may be impacted by the contamination released due to their location at just at 6 kilometers away.

The Ostúa River starts in Asunción Mita, and carries the contamination from the mine into Lake Güija, confirmed Cidia Cortés, a biologist and researcher with the National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining in El Salvador.

The findings of the study ‘The impact of the Cerro Blanco cross-border mine on water and health of El Salvador’, also determined that contamination from the mine could potentially affect half a million Salvadorans if it reaches the Lempa River, the most important fresh water supply for Salvadorans.

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Uncertainty in communities of Asuncion Mita due to the imminent reopening of the Cerro Blanco mine in Guatemala

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Published: Friday, 03 May 2019 11:56

* Edgardo Ayala - Contrapunto

Despite of a two year mining prohibition, the ghost of mining does not fade away for communities in El Salvador that are exposed to crossborder contamination that may cause irreversible environmental damage to their limited water resources. 

ASUNCIÓN MITA, Guatemala. Although everything indicates that Canadian Bluestone Resources consortium has oiled up its powerful technical and financial machinery to restart operations at the Cerro Blanco mine, there is still a veil of secrecy and silence in the surrounding communities located near the megaproject.

Worker guards the entrance of the Cerro Blanco mine in Asuncion Mita, Guatemala. Photo: Karla Rodas"We have heard rumors, there are three people linked to the mine who come to the community, but they  say no, they are lies (the rumors about restarting of operations), they say the mine is going to close, and it is currently under maintenance" , explained Viviana Palma, a young teacher, resident of the village of Trapiche Vargas, jurisdiction of Asunción Mita, in the eastern department of Jutiapa, Guatemala.

The Cerro Blanco mine is located in the vicinity of Asunción Mita, a city of about 50,000 inhabitants, located 160 km southeast of the Guatemalan capital, and about 10 kilometers from the border with El Salvador.

This closeness with El Salvador led environmental groups from both countries to oppose the project since it was established in the area, in 2005, due to the possible negative impacts that would occur not only in Guatemalan towns, but also in El Salvador, as contamination reaches the Guija lake, in the department of Metapan, El Salvador.

And from there the remnants of the process, heavy metals and other pollutants, would reach the Lempa River, which sig sags throughout the country and is the main source of water for 60% of the population of Greater San Salvador.

The veil of silence.

"The rumors come through information from the local parish.  A Canadian sister warned us that it has become known that the stubborn mining company wants to continue drilling and everything they do" added Palma, 27 years old.

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