Guatemalans Blame Oil Transnationals
On Tuesday, representatives of the Quekchi Environmental Table in Guatemala denounced damage caused to the environment by poisonous gases emitted from oil wells abandoned by transnationals.

These wells were drilled 30 years ago by Basic Resources (now Perenco) in areas of Alta Verapaz Department and then were simply left in the 80s without any maintenance.

In 2006 the Guatemalan government hired British Petrolatina for crude prospecting and exploitation of the site, but this was met by firm opposition from local communities.

A member of the Environmental Table, Leopoldo Matz, told Prensa Latina they were promised permanent closure of the wells, which were about to burst, but only in exchange for authorizing the presence of the oil firm, which they consider blackmail.

According to Matz, mining activity would affect an area rich in biodiversity and home to 100 Mayan ceremonial sites.

The local residents opposition stems from lessons drawn from the neighboring Rubensalto facilities, which caused irreparable damage to the ecosystem.

"We have been told that oil tapping will mean development for our families, but we have witnessed how in Rubelnsalto, 30 years later, communities remain as day one, in poverty, illness and illiteracy," Matz stressed.