About the community-led struggle
For decades, transnational mining companies have targeted northern El Salvador for gold extraction. The most notable case was Pacific Rim/OceanaGold, which attempted to impose a project in Cabañas and later sued El Salvador before the World Bank tribunal (ICSID) when the project was blocked by community opposition. In response to this widespread resistance, the Salvadoran legislature unanimously approved a landmark 2017 law prohibiting metallic mining—the first of its kind in the world. However, this victory is now under threat. The current government has openly expressed interest in reopening the mining sector, disregarding the risks to water, ecosystems, and community health, and ignoring the prior consent rights of affected populations.
The communities of Santa Marta and surrounding areas in Cabañas are at the center of this struggle. Located in the north-central region of El Salvador, along the Lempa River basin, they live in a territory of immense ecological and cultural value. For these communities, mining represents not only an environmental risk but also a direct threat to their livelihoods and their right to life. The government’s response has been to criminalize dissent: five community leaders, including ADES director Antonio Pacheco were imprisoned in January 2023 under fabricated charges dating back to the civil war. Even though they were finally absolved of these fabricated crimes and released in October 2024, one month later their case was ordered for a review and their court date has been delayed ever since.
This climate of fear and intimidation that authorities are imposing on the communities is evident in a recent statement by ADES, which called for the release of their detained community leaders:
“During these 30 months, other union activists and human rights defenders have also been persecuted, including leaders of the Alianza El Salvador en Paz. Others have fled persecution by going into exile. This persecution could worsen with the arbitrary and discretionary implementation of the Foreign Agents Law.”
The foreign agents law forces organizations receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign agents,” granting the government broad powers to control, stigmatize, and sanction human rights groups and independent media under the guise of “transparency.”
Despite the hostile environment and the state of exception limiting constitutional rights, communities have sustained their organizing capacity. ADES along with community development associations, women’s groups, and water access boards continue to denounce arbitrary detentions and mobilize nationally and internationally to protect the 2017 mining ban. They have activated UN mechanisms, sought support from international allies, and brought visibility to the injustice through campaigns, community media like Radio Victoria, and legal defense strategies.
This community-led struggle is deeply rooted in the memory of environmental martyrs from Cabañas, whose murders in the late 2000s highlighted the dangers of confronting powerful mining interests. Far from silencing them, this violence reinforced the collective conviction to defend water and territory. Today, Santa Marta’s leadership, together with ADES, continues to organize marches, forums, and cultural festivals to demand the release of their imprisoned leaders and to reaffirm their rejection of mining.
Further resources
El Salvador: Tribunal absuelve a los cinco líderes y ambientalistas de Santa Marta tras 21 meses de criminalización (Business and Human Rights Resource Center, 2024)