Costa Rican Mine Has
Unleashed Concern In
Nicaragua
President Oscar Arias'
executive order to green
light a gold mine a few
miles from the
Nicaraguan border has
upset the Nicaraguan
government and united
environmentalists in
both nations.
Arias lifted a six-year
ban on open-pit mining
for precious metals,
saying the nation's
environmental laws offer
enough protection.
Critics, however, say it
is evidence that Arias'
much-touted
environmental commitment
runs shallow.
Juana Argeñal,
Nicaragua's environment
minister, has called on
Costa Rica to suspend
the newly approved mine,
expected to pour
millions into Costa
Rican government coffers
over five years. Argeñal
said the mine would
pollute the San Juan
River, which forms a
natural border between
the two Central American
nations less than two
miles from the mine
site.
''We, the ministry,
declare ourselves
completely against it
because once it enters
into operations, the
environmental impact for
Nicaragua will be
huge,'' Argeñal said.
The San Juan River is
dotted with small
fishing communities and
is home to an abundance
of wildlife. The river
also connects to the
expansive Lake
Nicaragua, considered
the country's future
source of drinking
water.
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