COPAE  2009-12-02 19:01   

The recent, tragic publicity of Lake Atitlán is filling us with consternation and, at the same time, inciting us to continue proclaiming to the four winds about our research, alerting us to the contamination of the waters surrounding the Marlin Mine. For several years, various environmental and ecological groups have warned about the contamination of Lake Atitlán. They were branded a wide-range of names, from the funny “eco-hysteric” to compromising nickname “eco-terrorist.” What are the people who first believed that these people were exaggerating about the reality and the consequences of the lake’s contamination saying now?

We will continue our peaceful struggle to resist, calling attention to this topic in San Marcos, hoping that we don’t have to wait to reach a point of near catastrophe in a few years for the situation to make national news in order to be taken seriously in our call for reform.

Goldcorp, Inc. boasts of being the gold company with the fastest growth and the most economic mine in production: least inversion, most earnings. (Website) By means of the Marlin Mine, Montana Exploradora, subsidiary of Goldcorp, Inc. has extracted 241,300 ounces of gold in 2008 alone. But they don’t include the costs of contaminated water and cracked houses around the Marlin Mine in their promotions.

A scientific study presented by engineers of UUSC and COPAE demonstrated the relationship that exists between cracked houses and the work of the mine (blasting and heavy truck traffic). The multibillionaire company has denied any responsibility with respect to the study’s results.

From COPAE we send our condolences to the family of Mariano Abarca Robledo, a Mexican resistance leader, who was assassinated in Chicomucel, Chiapas. Mariano was a member of REMA (the Network for Mexicans Affected by Mining). (LINK) We also send our condolences to the members of REMA and encourage you to continue to move forward and to continue to fight for life.