GOVERNMENT confirms five captures for blockages in Izabal and investigates aggression on manifestant

Authorities of the Ministry of the Interior confirmed the capture of five people for the events that occurred last Wednesday in Izabal, where residents expressed their rejection of the mining exploitation activities carried out in the department.

The Deputy Minister of the Interior, José Portillo, confirmed after a meeting in Congress, that five people were captured, who are presumed to be part of the group that has been generating blockages in the town. He also confirmed The capture of a man accused of shooting while the events occurred.

“We, in the Ministry of the Interior, are respectful of human rights and also of this type of demonstrations, but we must have clarity that there are public spaces, and the right of locomotion must be guaranteed. That way we are acting,” said the official.

Portillo said that instructions were already issued to the National Civil Police (PNC) to exhaust the protocols for the action and use of force, as well as dialogue, in each manifestation as the one that occurred in Izabal.

Aggression is investigated

On the injury caused to a person, apparently by the shot of a tear pump released by riot elements of the PNC, and that it was made public through a video on social networks, the official said that instructions were already turned to investigate how the events happened.

“We are investigating. Instruction was already generated in the inspection of the National Civil Police To investigate the fact and determine whether the person who was unfortunately injured was by a tear pump or by some stone. As you know, there are also vehicles that were affected and other people who were injured, but are in the process of investigation by the General Inspectorate, ”said Portillo.

The facts

The protests in Livingston, Izabal, began as a sample of rejection of mining activities in the Sierra Santa Cruz, so representatives of at least 54 surrounding communities They blocked different roads, preventing the vehicular passage.

The dissatisfied demanded that the authorities of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Energy and mines guarantee that no mining company will operate in said green area, since they ensure that the water supply depends for the families of the place.

In the meeting held on Wednesday to try to solve the situation, delegates of the Government, the Attorney General’s Office (PDH) and community leaders participated. The objective was to reach agreements to release the blocked roads.

However, the inhabitants prevented the exit of the representatives of the authorities, so the intervention of riot elements of the PNC was necessary, who launched tear gas to disperse people and prevent them from continuing to block the step.