Parlacen Urges Costa
Rica To Withdraw Mining
License
The Central American
Parliament (Parlacen)
Friday urged Costa Rica
to block exploitation of
gold near San Juan
river, bordering with
Nicaragua.
The call was made in a
petition submitted by
Nicaraguan Parlacen
Legislator Francisco
Campbell, who warned
that mining activities
in Las Crucitas Costa
Rican might pollute the
river.
"Parlacen urges Costa
Rican President Oscar
Arias to desist granting
that concession to
Industrias Infinito S.A.,
and subject it (for
approval) to the Central
American Environment and
Development," said
Cambell.
The Costa Rican
government authorized
the exploitation of gold
at Las Crucitas sector,
three kms away from San
Juan river, to
Industrias Infinito S.A,
a subsidiary of Canadian
firm Vanessa Venture
Ltd.
Cambell said the mining
exploitation in San Juan
river infringes a
resolution adopted in
2004 by Parlacen, in
which Costa Rica is not
represented.
Parlacen, headquartered
in Guatemala, is made up
of legislators from
Nicaragua, Guatemala,
Honduras, El Salvador,
Panama and Dominican
Republic.
If the Costa Rican
government does not halt
the exploitation,
Nicaraguan
environmentalists will
file a lawsuit at the
Central American Justice
Court (CCJ), according
to Campbell.
Some Nicaraguan
environmentalist groups
say the use of chemical
substances in mining
activities will pollute
the San Juan river, the
natural border between
Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. |
