Lívingston, Izabal, has been the scene of demonstrations in recent days, because at least settlers of 54 communities oppose a mining project.
The protests began on June 16 with blockages at kilometer 279.5 of the CA-13 route, in San Antonio Sejá, where the protesters placed tires, awnings and branches to prevent the passage of vehicles.
Thousands of cars, mostly of heavy transport, were stranded for almost three days.
The settlers demand that a mining project that would have been authorized in that municipality is not allowed to operate.
At noon on Thursday, June 18, the demonstrations extended to the Río Dulce area, where merchants were forced to close their businesses to support the protest.
In the afternoon, local authorities and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources arrived to try to establish a dialogue, but this failed and clashes between riot and protesters were reported.
Videos on social networks showed damage to vehicles, real estate and people who were affected by tear gas.
In that context, the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, spoke on the social network X on the disturbances that were recorded.
In the publication, accompanied by a video, he wrote: “This is the other face of Izabal’s protesters that nobody is talking about.”
Referring to one of the people who appears in the recording, he added: “Only this character has been captured twice: threat to security agent with a long weapon and violence against women.”
He questioned: “What is free? Who took it there? Why? Who surrounds him?”
In the recording shared by the minister it is observed when a subject with blue shirt shoots several times, apparently without just cause.
This is the other face of the protesters of #Izabal That nobody is talking.
Only this character has been captured on 2 opportunities
1. Threat to security agent with a long weapon
2. Violence against womenWhat is free, who took it there, for what, who surrounds it? pic.twitter.com/txhg6gndgp
– Francisco Jiménez (@fjimenezMmorgob) June 19, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vkjtzthbma
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