In his intervention, he described the difficult situation that the social movements and organizations of his country are experiencing, who suffer indiscriminate violence to open way to large sugarcane companies that produce ethanol, transnational metal mining companies or hydroelectric projects whose aim is not to benefit communities.

Especially CEIBA, which in early 2012 had its office in Huehuetenango broken into. Several computers were stolen and its facilities were destroyed in a clear sign of violence to silence the activism committed to the communities.

Precisely this November 13th, an International Mission organized by FoEI will visit communities in Guatemala and El Salvador and will aim to expose the State violence under Otto Perez Molina’s administration.

The mission includes recently elected FoEI’s Chair, Jagoda Munic, from Croatia, and human and environmental rights activists from Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Philippines, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras and Uruguay.

It will travel through several regions of Guatemala and will visit the seven political prisoners struggling for their freedom after being imprisoned during the State of Emergency declared in Santa Cruz Barillas, in May, 2012, as a response to the community’s rejection to the building of a megadam.

In addition, the cases of resistance against mining company Goldcorp, Marlin and Barrick Gold in San Jose del Golfo will be documented. The tour will take place in coordination with the Mesoamerican Movement against Metal Mining (M4) and local groups FoE CEIBA and CESTA.