Salvadoran anti-mining activist Miguel Rivera speaks out against the murder of his brother, environmental degradation in his community, and the U.S. trade policies that threaten his country’s sovereignty.
Tuesday, October 20, 7:00PM
Wallingford United Methodist Church
2115 North 42nd Street, Seattle
Salvadoran tamales available for purchase
Miguel Rivera is a representative of El Salvador’s national anti-mining coalition, La Mesa Nacional Frente a la Minería en El Salvador. Miguel and La Mesa are on the front lines of the struggle to stop U.S. and Canadian gold-mining corporations from opening exploitative, environmentally-damaging mines in El Salvador. Miguel’s brother, Marcelo Rivera, was tortured and killed in July, likely as a result of his anti-mining activism, among other issues he was involved with in El Salvador’s Cabañas department.
After the Salvadoran government was pressured by popular opposition to refuse to issue mining permits, two U.S.-based corporations filed lawsuits against the government under the rules of CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement), demanding $200 million in compensation for lost investments. CISPES has joined La Mesa’s struggle to defeat the lawsuits and prohibit metallic mining in El Salvador, while challenging the free trade agreements that allow this type of exploitation to occur in the first place.
Join us on October 20 to hear Miguel’s story and learn what you can do to stand in solidarity with the Salvadoran people as they resist mining and political violence in their country.
#1 by Brian Weller on October 16th, 2009
Where at UW is the talk Oct 20 at noon?????