Breaking the Silence on Canadian Mining Operations in Guatemala

This article was written in equal collaboration with Noémie Cashana Burrs, Rebecca Saliba, and Saja Bugaldian. We gratefully acknowledge the supervision of Dr. Karine Vanthuyne and the contributions of Alain El-Hofi.

Business Intelligence For B.C | Marta Muñoz (left) and Aura Marisol Guerra (right) arrive in Guatemala, May 8, 2025, to deliver the Xinka People's decision calling for a permanent closure of the Canadian-owned Escobal silver mine. | Submitted

Earlier this fall, the University of Ottawa held a conference titled “Canada Must Respect Indigenous Self-Determination in Guatemala,” where two Xinka delegates from Guatemala, Marisol Guerra and Marta Muñoz, shared their community’s ongoing resistance to the Canadian-owned Escobal mine, which has been operating on their territory for the past fifteen years. The event was part of their second Canadian tour, allowing the delegates to build solidarity and exchange perspectives with civil society organizations, such as Mining Watch Canada and Inter Pares, as well as Indigenous communities across the country.

Their presentation shed light on the complex challenges the Xinka people have faced since the mine’s establishment, which include acts of repeated violations of their right to self-determination, significant environmental contamination of land and water, fatal political violence, and the persistent lack of accountability from the Canadian government. 

Resistance and repression

Marisol Guerra and Marta Muñoz are among the ten thousand Xinka people who oppose the Escobal mine. They shared that since 2011, a series of referendums have been held across seven communities and nine municipalities in Guatemala’s Santa Rosa Department, with results showing that 98% of participants rejected the mining project. Despite this overwhelming opposition, the mine was imposed on the Xinka community through military force. Threats, unlawful searches, and arbitrary detentions became routine, with several Xinka leaders killed or forced to leave the country. In one tragic case, a 16-year-old girl was killed, and her father was seriously injured during a protest defending their community’s right to self-determination.

The speakers shared that it was not until 2017 that the mine’s operations were suspended, following a Constitutional Court ruling mandating formal consultations with the Xinka people. They stated that during the suspension, a study supported by international experts and various organizations documented the mine’s harmful effects. The report showed that toxic waste from silver extraction contaminated land and waterways vital to the Xinka people, while the mine’s disruptive presence displaced 21 families and led to the closure of community and public services.

Guerra and Muñoz expressed their exhaustion from the consultation process that dragged on for seven years. In 2023, the Guatemalan government ultimately issued a refusal of consent, directly contravening the Constitutional Court’s decision, which required the free, prior, and informed consent of the Xinka people.

The Canadian government's silence

Beyond raising awareness among Canadians about the Xinka people’s experiences since the opening of the Escobal mine, Marisol Guerra and Marta Muñoz’s tour seeks to urge the Canadian government to take a clear and principled stance in support of Xinka rights. Their demands include not only the closure of the mine but also a public acknowledgment of the government’s failure to address their appeals.

As the delegates explained, the Canadian government’s passivity toward the Xinka people’s demands is starkly revealed by its response to Pan American Silver’s disinformation campaign, launched after the Xinka refused to grant their consent. This campaign sought to undermine their credibility regarding the harms caused by mining on their territory. For the two Xinka spokespersons, the government’s indifference became more apparent when they were denied meetings with government officials during their tour. 

Thus, the Canadian government’s silence is more than a lack of words; it signifies an acceptance of the status quo that underpins the country’s mining industry.

Canadian mines in Latin America

The Escobal mine is only one of Pan American Silver’s operations. The company owns fourteen silver and gold mines, most of which are located in Latin American countries such as Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico. More broadly, an estimated 70% of mining projects in Latin America involve Canadian companies in some capacity.

The Xinka people are not alone in confronting the environmental, social, and political consequences of Canadian mining operations. Between 2000 and 2015, Canadian mining companies were linked to 44 deaths, 303 injuries (many occurring during protests), and 709 instances of imprisonment across the region. Widespread contamination, deforestation, health problems, and forced displacement further illustrate the scale and severity of these impacts.

However, this dimension of the Canadian mining industry remains largely overlooked. In a discussion following the conference, the delegates explained that, considering that the Xinka people receive only 1% of the silver extracted from the Escobal mine, raising public awareness in Canada is crucial, especially since it is likely that silver and profits from these mines circulate in the everyday lives of Canadians.