Even as the courageous ‘defense of democracy’ battle plays itself forward in Guatemala, trying to oust the corrupt, military-backed government of President Giammattei from power, Swiss company Solway Investment Group announces that the U.S. government has "licensed" Solway’s subsidiary companies (Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel, CGN, and Compañía Procesadora de Níquel de Izabal, ProNiCo) "to resume mining operations" at El Estor.
Solway Investment Group Guatemalan subsidiaries granted license to resume operations, October 3, 2023, https://solwaygroup.com/2023/10/03/solway-investment-group-guatemalan-subsidiaries-granted-license-to-resume-operations/
But it's a lie. It cannot be. The U.S. government cannot license Solway, or its subsidiaries, to operate a mine in Guatemala. That is an internal Guatemalan matter. The only thing the U.S. government did is to remove Solway and its subsidiaries from the arbitrary U.S. blacklist.
Illegal consultation during an illegal state of siege
Furthermore, what Solway's press release does not say is that the alleged "community consultation" Solway conducted in Guatemala was illegal. It was carried out during a campaign of military repression against the Q'eqchi' people, during the months of October 2021-January 2022, under a state of military siege illegally imposed by the corrupt, military-backed government of President Giammattei.
Corte de Constitucionalidad vuelve a dejar en suspenso legalidad de consulta sobre la mina de El Estor, Hector Silva Avalos y Juan Calles, Prensa Comunitaria, abril 27, 2022, https://prensacomunitaria.org/2022/04/corte-de-constitucionalidad-vuelve-a-dejar-en-suspenso-legalidad-de-consulta-sobre-la-mina-de-el-estor/
“Fenix" mining operation in Guatemala is ILLEGAL. Solway Investment Group & CGN, governments of Guatemala and Switzerland, responsible for repression that may occur, by Rights Action, October 20, 2021, https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/fenix-mining-operation-in-guatemala-is-illegal
Now, it is once again up to the Q'eqchi' people - the Q'eqchi' defenders of El Estor - and their allies in Guatemala, Switzerland, and the U.S. and Canada to oppose Solway's return to illegal operation of the Fenix mine.
Grahame Russell
info@rightsaction.org
More information
Prensa Comunitaria: @PrensaComunitaria, https://www.prensacomunitaria.org/
Lawyer Rafael Maldonado (Constitutional Court decision, suspending Solway mining operation): areapoliticalegal@gmail.com, https://twitter.com/Rafa_Mal0072
Journalist Carlos Ernesto Choc: carlosernestomiel@gmail.com, https://www.facebook.com/carlosernesto.choc1, https://twitter.com/CarlosErnesto_C
Send letters to
Solway Investment Group: Baarerstrasse 8, 6300 Zug Switzerland, +41417400400, bd@solwaygroup.com, media@solway.ch, www.solwaygroup.com
Embassy of Switzerland in Guatemala: +502 2367 5520, guatemalacity@eda.admin.ch, sanjose@eda.admin.ch
Embassy of Switzerland, Canada: +1 613 235 1837, ottawa@eda.admin.ch
Swiss Embassy, United States: +1 202 745 7900, washington@eda.admin.ch,
washington.media@eda.admin.ch, washington.chancery@eda.admin.ch, washington.visa@eda.admin.ch
European Union of Human Rights in Guatemala: jennifer.echeverria@eeas.europa.eu
Background
Corruption of Guatemalan State by Solway Investment Group, https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/corruption-of-guatemalan-state-by-solway-investment-group
Archives: 60 Years of Q'eqchi Resistance to Mining, https://rightsaction.org/hudbay-minerals-archives
“Mining Secrets” documents confirm corruption of Guatemalan State by Solway Investment Group mining company, https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/corruption-of-guatemalan-state-by-solway-investment-group
TESTIMONIO: Canadian Mining in the Aftermath of Genocides in Guatemala. Edited by Catherine Nolin & Grahame Russell, Between the Lines, 2021, https://btlbooks.com/book/testimonio, www.testimoniothebook.org
Guatemala Election Watch alerts: https://rightsaction.org/emails
