Dozens of settlers from several communities in Livingston, Izabal, block the passage for more than 24 hours at kilometer 279.5 of the CA-13 route, Aldea San Antonio Sejá, confirmed on Tuesday, June 17, sources from the General Directorate of Security and Road Protection (Provial).
Local media report that, at first, the blockade was in the La Scale neighborhood, in Río Dulce, but then the dissatisfied settlers mobilized San Antonio Sejá. The passage of heavy transport is complicated, which has generated long lines on the route.
It is reported that the 54 communities of Livingston took the road to Petén as a pressure measure so that the Ministers of Energy and Mines and Environment guarantee that the mining exploitation was stopped in the Sierra Santa Cruz.
The blockages affect the passage towards the cross stripe of the north and Tikal.
For last Monday a meeting was scheduled with authorities, but those of the Ministry of Environment did not appear, which tightened the situation more.
At the moment, there is no official position on the factual measures and the economic impact that the blockages represent, because thousands of trucks are stranded with essential products has not been announced.
The Ministry of Environment published a statement stating the following:
“On April 24, 2025, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) attended a citation convened by Izabal district deputies to listen to the concerns of representatives of 53 communities of Livingston, about the possible environmental impact of the mining activity in the Sierra Santa Cruz, since in that area the water sources that supply these communities are born,” he says.
In addition, the document says: “In response, the MARN promised to inspect the 10 mining projects (2 exploitation and exploration) that received an environmental license in 2023, but still do not have an operation license from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Inspections in the forested area where these projects are located concluded on May 15”.
He adds that on June L6, the MARN sent the inspection reports to all interested parties, as agreed. The Vice Ministry of Environment analyzes the findings to give them the corresponding monitoring.