Denver Justice & Peace Committee Mining Delegation to Guatemala

In Guatemala, hundreds of mining concessions have been granted to transnational gold, silver, nickel, and zinc companies, threatening the social and environmental health of rural populations. Delegation participants will visit the municipalities of Sipakapa and San Miguel Ixtahuacan in the department of San Marcos as well as El Estor in the department of Izabal to experience firsthand the impact of mining on these indigenous communities.

“Traveling teaches us to commit, to take on the problems of others as if they were our own, because they are our own.”—Luis Sepulveda

“The crops were much better before,” says Crisanta holding up some of the corn her family harvested this year in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, Guatemala, “but since the mine came, they don’t come out the same anymore. They do not grow properly now. We haven’t had a good harvest for about three years. Even the crops that we do harvest, we cannot sell. As soon as people find out that we are from San Miguel, they don’t want to buy from us because they say it’s all contaminated.”

Indigenous communities all over Guatemala are organizing to save their land, water, and way of life. Participants in this delegation will explore ways to actively support these efforts after their return to the U.S.

To hear a video clip of Brad Lawton’s interview about the trip, given at the recent DJPC Awards Night ceremony, click here:  Brad Lawton on DJPC Mining Delegation

Dates:  February 12-22, 2011
Price: $1,100 plus airfare to Guatemala City
To get the application please contact Jane Covode, [email protected] or Kathryn Rodriguez, [email protected]