October 2010 is a month that will be long remembered in the highlands of Guatemala. In that month, 4 community consultations will take place on the issue of mining. That would be the 43rd, 44th, 45th and 46th community consultation at the municipal level in the highlands.

It is noteworthy that so far in all the consultations that have taken place, the population has unanimously spoken out against mining.

That the mining activities of the Marlin Mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, exploited by Montana Exploradora, subsidiary of Goldcorp, constitute violations of human and indigenous rights and of Guatemalan law has been a known fact from the onset. Now, the excellent legal researchers of the mining resistance movement in the west of Guatemala, brought to light that the act of buying of the lands of San Miguel constituted a mere crime to Guatemalan law. The person accused of this crime is no one less than the current president of the Supreme Court of Guatemala.

In San Miguel Ixtahuacán, in the last two weeks, we reported two armed attacks on two known people of the resistance against mining in that municipality. This is an apparent increase in the level of violence in a municipality that has been marked by social conflict as of the introduction of the Marlin mine of the company Montana exploradora, a subsidiary of Goldcorp, six years ago. These events are in contradiction with the supposed commitment of the government of Guatemala to "guarantee the life and physical integrity of the neighbors of the mine."

In the last two weeks, Peruvians have faced, once again, the weakness of its environmental institutions and the enormous risks that are constantly present in different parts of our territory. First, the oil spill in the Marañon river in the district of Urarina in Loreto, followed by the collapse of a tailings dam in the district of Huachocolpa in Huancavelica, which is causing terrible contamination of three rivers in the area on top of economic and health impacts for the communities. 

Today, June 2nd, is the 10 year mark of the mercury spill that intoxicated thousands of villagers of Choropampa (Cajamarca). Demands for medical attention and compensation still have not yet been heard.

In memory of this tragic event, Guarango has put exceptionally the full HD version of its documentary "Choropampa, the Price of Gold" for free during one week on its YouTube page for you to view it. Watch it in Spanish or with English subtitels.

On April 27th, the Peruvian president Alan García, known for his love for mining investment, following his adagium 'el perro del hortelano' - or is there something in it for him as well? - instated a resolución suprema (supreme resolution) to dedicate, from this year onwards, the 5th of June to Peruvian Rum.