Following the cancellation of El Salvador’s total ban on metal mining, which had remained in force from 2017 to 2024, 153 faith organisations from 25 different countries have signed a joint statement calling for the protection of environmental rights throughout the country. The declaration, which also includes Pax Christi International among its signatories, was presented by the Institute for Policy Studies.
The reopening of the mines would pose a significant risk to the Salvadoran population: metal extraction requires the constant use of highly toxic substances, which would further undermine an already fragile water system, with many people lacking daily access to safe drinking water.
The statement also calls for all new charges against activists and religious leaders, who in recent months have been persecuted for opposing the lifting of the ban, to be dropped. The resumption of mining has been condemned by the Salvadoran Episcopal Conference, which remains firm in its commitment to protecting water as a gift from God, to which everyone should have access.
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