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Costa Rica stands its ground after $1 billion threat by mining firm, says “case is closed”

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Residents protest Infinto Gold's open bit gold mine in this undated file photo.

Residents protest Infinto Gold’s open pit gold mine in this undated file photo.

April 5th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, said yesterday that the case of the Crucitas open-pit gold mine is closed, after learning that the Canadian mining company, Infinto Gold, threatened Costa Rica with a more than $1 billion lawsuit. 

 

Chinchilla said that the courts had given their “final word” on the subject and consequently her administration has “no power to act against the [court’s] judgement.”

 

Infinto Gold says it will push ahead with a lawsuit for $1,092,000,000 if they are not allowed to resume work on the open pit gold mine within 6 months.  The amount represents $92 million the company has invested in the project, and $1 billion in lost profits.  The company had hoped to extract at least 19.8 tons of gold during the 10 years provided by the concession.

 

Infinto Gold said in a statement that the “moratorium on open pit mining in Costa Rica does not affect our project because it is not retroactive.”

 

Responding to the threat of the $1 billion lawsuit, President Chinchilla said yesterday, “With respect to the actions of the company I have nothing to say, it is something the courts will have to resolve.”

 

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  • georgechapogas

    this will not have a good end for costa rica. an act of self destruction.

    • Charlene Geller

      No. It is an act of self preservation. Good call, Costa Rica. I love living in a country where money isn’t everything; where the PROTECTION of natural resources comes first.

      • georgechapogas

        self preservation. lololol. you bet. make agreements with countries that pour millions into costa rica. do a deal with them. then tell them to f off, and lose the money candians invested because our stinking hippie sector says so. you think that will turn out well and your brain is not connected. this will cost costa rica big time.

        • Charlene Geller

          What, allowing foreign interests to rape the country is a good thing? Take a good look at what’s happening around the world. Keeping the a-holes out and preserving this country is more important than a big hole in the ground. If you love this idea so much maybe you should move to the US. You’d like it there.

          • georgechapogas

            great world view Charlene. you use all the code words. rape. get out. just need to add hate. this will not turn out well for costa rica. of course, that is not important.

          • Charlene Geller

            Wow. “Just add hate..” Code words? You might be right about ONE thing, George: Maybe this WILL cost Costa Rica a lot of money and some foreign investment. And I have the impression that perhaps those things are of paramount importance to you. So be it. I would be curious to know who/when the decision was made to give those mining concessions to Canada. Someone, or maybe lots of people, apparently changed their minds about it, realizing, perhaps, that maybe it isn’t the best thing for the country. So, instead of sucking it up, they did what they thought was right. Sometimes, George, doing the right thing takes guts and is worth more than money.

          • georgechapogas

            remember that next time someone you sign a contract with that they then lie, try to use loopholes, or just blatantly steal from you. i have that happening. many people, apparently including you will manipulate, lie, abrogate and do anything they want then justify by saying you are “nazis” or some other bad name thing and stealing from you is the right thing and my past promises are not important.

            this was a publicly debated issue. it was signed by arias, president of the country. you are advocating that theft is moral. i know someone a lot like you. no way to build a life or community.

          • Charlene Geller

            Happens to everyone, George, even me. I’ve been lied to and manipulated by many people, even here in Costa Rica. And I still have faith in people doing the right thing. I don’t know you so I will take the high road and refrain from slinging insults. Apparently you haven’t learned yet that it really doesn’t work. Sounds to me like the courts took a hard look at something a previous administration did and realized we’ve been lied to and manipulated…again. And they decided to do something about it. BTW, I never said anyone was a nazi, not even you. And guess what? There are a lot of people like me who believe in doing what is right for their country. And guess what else? We’re building sustainable communities that even someone like you would be jealous of. So, next time, before you start passing judgement on people, take a real hard look at yourself. You may learn something. End of conversation.

          • georgechapogas

            there are many ways to be insulting. i responded in kind. so next time you take a real hard look at yourself before you start passing judgement on people. you may learn something about your sanctimonious bitchiness. your community ideas far from being sustainable will cause a poverty ridden animal farm no one would be jealous of. if the contract causes harm, there are means within the contract for remedy. Costa Rica is choosing to cut it’s nose off to spite it’s face. end of conversation.

          • mhogan

            Charlene, you make it sound as though if one breaches a contract (fails to honor its word) that is acceptable under certain conditions (e.g. others have done it, it’s for a good reason, etc.)
            I’m sorry that I can’t agree with your logic — honor and truthfulness in dealings are absolutes–black or white, no grey allowed; stupidity or gullibility notwithstanding. Your reasoning leads to a breakdown in society, with no respect to law and justice. You must be a Liberal (not in the pure sense of the word, but political sense) for only they can justify wavering on principles as it suits their beliefs.

  • Art Sulenski

    The world courts will determine what is done, not any court in Costa Rica, they have not done what they agreed to and now with it violating the fair trade agreement it won’t be decided in CR, lovely thing these free trade agreements. . . . .

  • http://www.facebook.com/fhuh.kew Fhuh Kew

    Nonsense George. Christiana and Jose Maria are tied up with the un. Crucitas will be declare a world heritage site. Case closed.
    Problem over. Canadaian Nazi go duh fhuh home.

    • georgechapogas

      Canadian Nazi? and you call me wrong?

    • Art Sulenski

      Whether or not the site is declared a heritage site the lawsuit will still go on as the contract was done in good will. The losses incurred by the company are still losses and Costa Rica will still lose in the world court. I am not in favor of the mining of the gold but right is right and wrong is wrong no matter who manages to change their minds about honoring a legal contract.

  • Ellen Munro

    Ho Charlene! Reign in the horses!

    Arayas SIGNED THE AGREEMENT with the company. Chinchilla renagued on the agreement and they are the same political party. Why didn’t she argue before he signed the agreement? There is where the problem lies. The company negotiated in good faith and this is their reward.

    Maybe CR’s word is no good however, a signature on a piece of paper becomes a LEGAL & BINDING document in the US and Canada and in any Country that wishes not to continue as a 3rd world or developing country

    What does this do to CR’s reputation in the world?

    I love CR and I believe it should honour its commitments and become everything it can be.

    Sorry Charlene, the law is the law is the law! and calling people names doesn’t make it right

    • http://www.facebook.com/marcelmpfister Marcel M. Pfister

      The man’s name is Arias. Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president. You may be confusing him with Johnny Araya, current mayor of San Jose and presumed PLN-candidate for the presidency in 2014. Your attention to detail is mindblowing.

  • georgechapogas

    i see some comments have been deleted. while the editor thinks he is cleaning up the dirt possibly leaving the “dirty” posts exposes more of the reality of people’s thinking. maybe just deleting threats, illegal provocation, advocating violence and such might be a wiser policy. i could care less what people say about me, i am in touch with who i am much better than any poster. i would think most people are good with that. pablo and tarn’s comments did not hurt me and frankly they are representative of a significant quantity of people’s views. ponder before you delete don editor please. telling me i am stupid or hate the planet or costa rica, or am in bed with greedy corporations may be stupid but it does not hurt anyone, and other than telling me to leave the country advocates no violence or criminality. people really feel that kinda wacko stuff. better posted here than acted out on the street.

    • http://insidecostarica.com/ Timothy Williams

      We don’t delete comments unless they are way out of line, and have not deleted any comments on this thread. I’m not really sure on this, but I think on Disqus if a comment gets enough ‘down’ votes they quit showing it.

      • georgechapogas

        fair enough.

  • Matt

    There is no doubt the courts will rule in Infinitos favor, but for how much, not sure. My guess in the neighbourhood of 400,000,000.00

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