Gold, impunity and violence in El Salvador

TheRealNews
August 12, 2009

Assassination of anti-mining resistance leader, Marcelo Rivera, sparks campaign of terror against activists.

A 37-year-old teacher, community center founder, and anti-mining activist is found tortured and assassinated in Northern El Salvador. Authorities, despite all evidence to the contrary, attribute the death to common gang violence. In the following weeks, other critics of mining are victims of death threats, attempted kidnappings and shootings. Communities plunged into fear not seen since the Civil War of the 1980s place the blame on the presence of Pacific Rim, a Canadian gold mining company.

The Mysterious Death of Marcelo Rivera

jamiemoffett
July 31, 2009

The Pacific Rim mining company has been lobbying for years for drilling rights under the mountain of El Dorado, an ironically named landmark in El Salvador containing over $1.3 billion worth of gold and precious metals. These resources come at a price however – severe environmental and human rights concerns have fueled a healthy resistance against the company and their mining practices.

This short film takes a close look at the recent death of activist Marcelo Rivera, the current class-action lawsuit against El Salvador’s government, and the connections between the two.

To sign our petition and send a personal message to the office of Arlen Specter demanding an investigation into this crime, click the link below.