Mining-policy talks between the Guatemalan government and civil society groups are on shaky ground following the government’s proposal last month of a mining law that the Catholic Church and other civil society organizations have termed unacceptable. In recent years, foreign investors have shown growing interest in Guatemala’s largely untapped mining resources. But the Guatemalan government thus far has failed to come to terms with civil society on ground rules for mining development. Negotiations on a new mining law were called off in early March by Guatemalan Bishop Álvaro Ramazzini, who sits on a high level commission formed in Feb. 2005 to study the country’s mining law and propose reforms. The commission comprises government officials and representatives of Guatemalan environmental, academic and religious groups. Ramazzini... [Log in to read more]