Indigenas y ladinos o mestizos
Background San Rafael Las Flores is a municipality of the department of Santa Rosa, created the 2 of March of 1860, during the government of Rafael Carrera. According to the Wikipedia page, "until then it had been part of the municipality of Mataquescuintla, and shared land with the municipality of San Carlos Alzatate; nevertheless ... the two places were divided in two independent municipalities according to the demography its inhabitants: the natives remained in San Carlos Alzatate, while the ladinos occupied the land of the municipality of San Rafael, and settled in the department of Santa Rosa ". The same source notes that in San Rafael Las Flores, with a population of just over nine thousand inhabitants, "99.6% are people of the Ladino race."
The Escobal mine of Minera San Rafael, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Tahoe Resources, is located in the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores. Tahoe Resources is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (TAHO, NYSE) and its shares are traded on that financial plaza. On July 11, 2016, the stock of TAHO closed at a price of US $ 16.44 per share, on June 9, 2017 closed at US $ 8.78 and at the beginning of this week closed at US $ 4.99. This means that an investment in TAHO worth US $ 1,644 a year ago had fallen to a value of US $ 878 a month ago, and this week is worth only US $ 499; a substantial loss of equity. The market value of the company is today less than a third of what it was a year ago, which translates into losses of hundreds of millions of dollars for the owners of its shares.
Law firm Khang & Khang LLP has filed a lawsuit, on behalf of losers, against Tahoe Resources, which may represent the company for losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. The complainant alleges that Tahoe Resources did not promptly disclose to its investors the contingency of a claim filed by Calas against the Ministry of Energy and Mines, claiming the violation of the rights of indigenous Xinca peoples, by not having conducted the community consultation with prior to the granting of the mining license. The stab at Tahoe Resources and its investors came when, on July 5, the company announced that the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala suspended the operations of the Escobal mine of Minera San Rafael, with the consequent collapse of the value of its share in the financial markets.
The negative effects go far beyond what is heard in Guatemala; in international markets the message is clear, do not invest in Guatemala because there is no legal certainty. One day they give you leave with all the law and after investing millions they suspend it for spurious legal actions.
No doubt the protest industry considers that it has scored a goal, but at the cost of causing hundreds of millions of dollars of losses, ruining the assets of many investors, destroying jobs for thousands of chapines, causing losses to many companies and giving a blow to Guatemala as an investment destination. What for them is a triumph to celebrate, only makes poverty. The protest industry, more extractive than mining, because it only extracts and does not produce, has kidnapped the institutionality of the country.
I propose that municipalities keep 60% of the revenues from royalties and taxes paid by the mining activity in their municipalities. With a population of just over nine thousand inhabitants, can you imagine the impact that would have for the residents of San Rafael Las Flores?
Traductor de Google para empresas:Google Translator ToolkitTraductor de sitios web