Goldman Prize Winner Francisco Pineda Risks His Life to Battle Gold Mining Operation

[Judi Lynn]

Goldman Prize Winner Francisco Pineda Risks His Life to Battle Gold Mining Operation
by Rachel Cernansky, Boulder, Colorado on 04.12.11

The Goldman Environmental Prize for South America this year went to a man who has so far been able to stop a Canadian company from coming in to mine gold (a toxic, ecologically destructive process) in El Salvador. His battle is a tough one because, thanks to CAFTA, the foreign company is able to threaten El Salvador's sovereignty and ability to refuse the mining plans. Canada is not actually party to the CAFTA agreement, but Pacific Rim used an American subsidiary to file a $100 million lawsuit under CAFTA against El Salvador.

Francisco Pineda says the CAFTA lawsuit is like saying to a friend: "I'm going to steal everything from you. But if you don't let me steal everything, I'm going to sue you."

Pineda lives with constant police protection after several of his colleagues—and the pregnant wife of one who his assassins couldn't find—were killed and after more than one attempt has been made on his own life. I spoke with Pineda while he was in the U.S. to receive the prize. Here are the highlights of that conversation.

More:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/04/goldman-prize-winner-risks-life-gold-mining.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehugger%2Fbusiness-politics+%28Business+%26+Politics%29