On Wednesday, September 9th, leaders from the affected communities stood in front of the office of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), to protest the announced expansion of the mine in San José del Progreso, Oaxaca.
Communal land holders and representatives of the alliance “No a la Minería por un Futuro de Todas y Todos” (No to Mining for a Future for All) also attended the event to condemn the operation.
The construction of the mine started in 2009, without the consent of the community. The protestors took the opportunity to reaffirm their right to autonomy and self-determination, which, together with their continued rejection of the project, has not been respected by la Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán (Cuzcatlán Mining Company).
In July the Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán published a report detailing the connection and expansion of various operations, including storage facilities for debris and waste. Community members highlighted the threat which this poses to the safety of the water in the surrounding area. Runoff water from heavy rain picks up chemicals and heavy metals from the site, which then contaminates the fresh water supply of nearby communities.
These warnings are not mere hypotheticals. Safety measures have already failed on multiple occasions, contaminating the environment and threatening public health. In 2018, heavy metals were detected in the El Coyote Creek, among those were iron levels 18 times higher than the acceptable limit. This poisons plants and animals that the people eat and while bottled water is available, it is often too expensive for the population.
Further leaks occurred in July of 2020 and most recently in September of 2024, which polluted wells in Magdalena Ocotlán and San Matias Chilazoa. These findings were independently verified by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA) and the National Water Commission (CONAGUA).
The protestors presented evidence of this and of further permit violations at the rally and demanded an audience with SEMARNAT. They are asking for the rejection of the planned expansion and demanding the creation of a working group between members of the alliance and the head of the agency. Furthermore, they insist on complete and up-to-date information regarding any planned construction, all within the framework of transparent and good faith dialogue.
“The water, land, and livelihoods of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca are neither for sale nor up for negotiation”, they declared.
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