CRISPAZ El Salvador Weekly News and Analysis
Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2006

In this edition:
1) Resistance to Mining Exploration Forces Work Stoppage for Pacific Rim
2) Nicaraguan Pres. Daniel Ortega Visits Saca, Allays Fears
3) Teamsters Repeat Call to Re-open Soto Murder Investigation
4) Ex-ANDA Pres. Carlos Perla to be Extradited from France
5) Letter Expresses Solidarity for Residents Slated for Eviction

Resistance to Mining Exploration Forces Work Stoppage for Pacific Rim
Last week, residents of San Limón, Sensuntepeque confronted exploration workers from the Pacific Rim Mining Company, asking them to dismantle any equipment related to the exploration process. The request was immediately honored by Pacific Rim employees. The action was the next in a series of responses by communities organized to prevent mining activity, and to defend farmlands and water supply from permanent contamination.
Several transnational corporations including Pacific Rim and Aura Silver Resources from Canada have stepped up exploration of potential mines over the last two years. The focus is on the northern provinces of El Salvador, especially Chalatenango and Cabañas. Communities along with sustainable development and environmental organizations have come out strongly against mining in the country due to the high quantities of water (an already taxed resource in El Salvador) that would be needed for the extraction process and the highly toxic chemicals that would be used which pose a threat to the environment and health of people living in those zones.
On November 20, community leaders from the municipalities of Metapan, Ilobasco, Sensuntepeque, El Divisadero and others resolved to expel companies that are looking to exploit mineral wealth in and near their communities from the area. Presently the prognosis for mining companies does not look too promising. In July, Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle announced that the Catholic Episcopal Conference had discussed the issue of mining and determined that “metal mining is not convenient for the country.” Later, in August the Minister of Environment, Hugo Barrera, also announced that metal mining is not “convenient” for the country and that the Ministry would not grant licenses to mining companies if they could not guarantee 100% that they would not harm the environment. Civil society is also pushing for the creation of a national mining law that would ban metallic mining in El Salvador.
Sources:
http://www.share-elsalvador.org/news/091406.htm
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=14569
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=13214
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/es/noticias/salvador_mineria
Nicaraguan Pres. Daniel Ortega Visits Saca, Allays Fears
“Ortega Affirms He Will Not Intervene in El Salvador” read the front page headline of last Thursday’s Diario de Hoy, a major El Salvador daily. Last week, Nicaragua’s president elect Daniel Ortega paid a courtesy visit to President Saca to discuss a variety of issues. During the meeting Ortega assured Saca that his Sandinista Administration and would not interfere in Salvadoran politics.
The media fanfare surrounding Ortega’s visit revealed deep concerns within the Salvadoran government and private enterprise over a leftist government in the region. During Nicaragua’s presidential campaign, the US State Department and Republicans “warned” Nicaraguans that an Ortega win would alter US-Nica bi-lateral economic relations, including cuts in foreign aid and cutting off remittances from family members in the US. Those statements were reminiscent of similar declarations made by Bush Administration officials who warned against an FMLN victory during the 2004 Salvadoran presidential elections. Shafik Handal, the FMLN candidate lost the election, but received more votes than any other FMLN candidate in the party’s 14 year history.
Teamsters Repeat Call to Re-open Soto Murder Investigation
Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa urged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week to demand that the Salvadoran Government re-open the investigation into the murder of Gilberto Soto. Soto, born in El Salvador but later moved to New Jersey, was murdered in front of his mother’s home in Usulután on Nov. 5, 2004 while on assignment for the Teamsters to organize Central American port workers. He was a Teamster and activist for union rights.
Authorities refused to investigate political motives in the crime and charged Soto’s mother-in-law with contracting two hit-men—also charged—to commit the murder. The mother-in-law and one of the gunmen were acquitted.
Hoffa’s letter to Secretary of State Rice asks her to insist that the government of El Salvador:

• Reopen the investigation into Soto’s murder, including the possibility that the killings may have been related to his work as a Teamster organizer;
• Grant the Human Rights Ombudsman access to the police case files; and
• Strengthen and support the work of the Ombudsman, including steps to assure the funding, safety and security of the Ombudsman and her office.

“We have got to get to the bottom of this,” Hoffa said. “The Salvadoran government’s inactions allow impunity for those truly responsible for Gilberto’s murder.”
Ex-ANDA Pres. Carlos Perla to be Extradited from France
Carlos Perla the ex-President of El Salvador’s state-owned water company, ANDA, will be extradited back to his home country from France this week. The troubled Perla has lived in France in “exile” with his family and the reported millions that he pilfered during his tenure as head of the massive agency from 1994-2002. Currently, Perla is in jail awaiting extradition, and has apparently claimed he was mentally ill and is therefore unable to travel. He has been transferred to the medical ward of the French jail where he resides.
The extradition is paired with the arrests of Kevin Smith and Jaime Pinel, who are accused of conniving with Perla in a multimillion dollar well-drilling scam. The accused are the owners of Drillmasters, a company that contracted with ANDA in 1999 to drill 85 wells for $7 million. The contract was subsequently re-negotiated with Perla to allow the company to drill only 52 wells for the same amount.

Letter Expresses Solidarity for Residents Slated for Eviction
A sign-on letter scribed by the Indianapolis-based CoCoDa expressed support for 27 families in Santa Marta who are being sued and under threat of eviction. The “Nuevo Heroica” Cooperative claims it holds the legal title to the land, having purchased it in 1994 from the plaintiff in the lawsuit, María Beltrán. For her part, Beltrán says she never agreed to the sale, nor did she receive any money as a result of the supposed transaction. A December 15 meeting between the parties to the suit is scheduled.
Santa Marta is a community of returned exiles from El Salvador’s 12-year civil war. CoCoDa has worked with residents of Santa Marta for years on education and healthcare projects that have made the community a model of democracy and sustainable development.
“We reiterate our belief that those who seek ways to undermine the organization and progress of Santa Marta are attacking peace, democracy, and a light of hope in a world that needs new models of human development, of which Santa Marta is great example,” concludes the letter.
Those who wish to sign on can e-mail: cocodaindy@igc.org, or visit www.cocoda.org
 
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