En el 2005 comienza la construcción de la hidroeléctrica Palo Viejo en un terreno privado (finca San Francisco), propiedad del terrateniente Pedro Brol. El Ph utiliza el agua del río Cotzal y tres de sus afluentes: los ríos El Regadío, Chipal y Arrollo Escondido, fuente hídrica y de otros recursos para las comunidades locales. El inicio de la construcción trajo el descontento y la oposición por parte de las poblaciones locales. Alegaban que la construcción del proyecto generaba daños ambientales y materiales y que no iba a significar una mejora de las condiciones de vida de las poblaciones de la zona. Además, reclaman una parte justa y equitativa del beneficio económico de esta actividad. También protestan contra la falta de información y de consulta popular. |
Communities Mayan-Ixil are denied proper consultation in this ENEL-owned CDM registered project. They opposed construction and blocked the road.
Description:
Basic Data
| Name of conflict: | Hidroeléctrica Palo Viejo, Guatemala |
| Country: | Guatemala |
| State or province: | San Juan Cotzal |
| Location of conflict: | Quiché |
| Accuracy of location | HIGH (Local level) |
Source of Conflict
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Water Management |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Water access rights and entitlements Land acquisition conflicts REDD/CDM |
| Specific commodities: | Land Electricity Water Carbon offsets |
Project Details and Actors
| Project details | Run-of-the-river project |
| Project area: | 214 |
| Level of Investment: | 200,000,000.00 |
| Type of population | Rural |
| Affected Population: | 36 comunidades Ixil y Quiché de Cotzal. |
| Start of the conflict: | 2012 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | ENEL Group (Enel) from Italy ENEL GREEN POWER (ENEL) from Italy Renovables de Guatemala, S.A. from Guatemala - subsidiary of ENEL – Italy with Finca San Francisco from Guatemala |
| Relevant government actors: | Comisión Nacional de Energía Eléctrica (CNEL),Ministerio de Energía y Minas (MEM) Corte Suprema de Justicia (CSJ), |
| International and Finance Institutions | The World Bank (WB) from United States of America United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/CDM (UNFCC) |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | ONG FundaMaya, Alcaldías Indígenas, Concejo Ecuménico de Guatemala (Monseñor Álvaro Ramazzini), Comité de Unidad Campesina (UCC), |
Conflict & Mobilization
| Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
| Reaction stage | In REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation) |
| Groups mobilizing: | Indigenous groups or traditional communities International ejos Local ejos Neighbours/citizens/communities Ethnically/racially discriminated groups Local scientists/professionals Religious groups Comunidades Mayan-Ixil |
| Forms of mobilization: | Blockades Development of alternative proposals Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Objections to the EIA Public campaigns Street protest/marches Arguments for the rights of mother nature |
Impacts
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Floods (river, coastal, mudflow), Food insecurity (crop damage), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil erosion, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity, Noise pollution Potential: Desertification/Drought, Global warming |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Mental problems including stress, depression and suicide Potential: Accidents |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Displacement, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Militarization and increased police presence, Violations of human rights, Land dispossession, Loss of landscape/sense of place Potential: Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors |
Outcome
| Project Status | In operation |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Migration/displacement Negotiated alternative solution Repression Violent targeting of activists |
| Development of alternatives: | La creación de espacios de negociación para obtener un beneficio económico que sirva para inversión social en el municipio. |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | Not Sure |
| Briefly explain: | Hay un éxito de la justicia social pero no ambiental. Si bien en marzo del 2013, las autoridades locales de San Juan Cotzal suscribieron un acuerdo (ENEL dará Q2.3 millones anuales por un período de 20 años, monto que supuestamente se invertirá en el desarrollo económico, social, ambiental y cultural del municipio) con la construcción de la Hidroeléctrica hubo un impacto ambiental muy alto, se reportan peces, nutrias y pájaros muertos, inundaciones de las cosechas, tuberías rotas y contaminación de aguas. |
Sources & Materials
| Links to general newspaper articles, blogs or other websites |
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| Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network |
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Meta information
| Contributor: | Carole Brun y Grettel Navas (Fundación Neotrópica) |
| Last update | 18/08/2019 |
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