- The environmental organization “Forbidden Stories” has documents proving that the Swiss mining company, which belongs to the Solway Investment Group, tried to hide environmental sins from the public.
- The company denies the allegations across the board.
- In the area surrounding the nickel mine in El Estor, in the north-east of the country, the indigenous population regularly protests against the mining company.
The allegations against the Swiss mining company stem from an investigation by 20 international media outlets that was published on Sunday. The research is entitled “Mining Secrets”. A total of 65 journalists from 15 countries took part.
Leaked documents and emails
The investigation also accuses the company of courtesy purchases and intimidation. The company has denied all allegations in a statement. They are unfounded and do not reflect the facts.
The research authors examined leaked documents and emails from the Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) and Pronico, subsidiaries of Solway Investment Group operating near the town of El Estor.
Dubious spot in freshwater lake
Research by Forbidden Stories, which conducted the investigation, revealed that Solway colluded with authorities to hide serious pollution incidents from the public.
According to the report, one of the things that happened in 2017 was the formation of a large red spot in Lake Izabal, on the shore of which a nickel processing plant is located. The case sparked a protest from local fishermen, who accused the mining company of causing the phenomenon.
The last protest against the mining company took place in October last year, when dozens of locals occupied the driveway to El Estor for days, blocking the mine’s trucks from passing. Police used tear gas to disperse them, prompting President Alejandro Giammattei to declare a state of siege and deployed hundreds of soldiers.