Video: Xinka representative Marta Muñoz and Marisol Guerra give a press conference on Parliament Hill in September 2025.
Take Action: Sign the e-petition now.
Following last year’s delegation of Xinka representatives Marta Muñoz and Marisol Guerra to Canada, a new House of Commons e-petition—supported by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May—is now live, calling on the Government of Canada to respect the Xinka people’s right to self-determination in relation to the Canadian-owned Escobal mine in Guatemala. The petition builds on years of organizing, including recent speaking tours across the country and a press conference on Parliament Hill, where Xinka leaders made clear that after a seven-year court-mandated consultation process, their decision is unequivocal: the mine must not reopen. As earlier solidarity actions have shown—including a 6,000-signature petition delivered to Pan American Silver’s headquarters—public pressure in Canada plays a critical role in holding companies accountable.
The petition outlines the urgency of the situation. Since 2011, Xinka communities have peacefully opposed the Escobal mine due to risks of water contamination and depletion, as well as profound social, cultural, and spiritual impacts. Their resistance has been met with harassment, criminalization, and repression, including a military state of siege. In 2017 and 2018, Guatemala’s courts ordered the suspension of the project due to lack of consultation. In May 2025, following nearly seven years of legally mandated consultation, the Xinka people formally denied consent for the mine’s restart—yet Pan American Silver continues to promote reopening in defiance of this decision.
Grounded in these realities, the petition calls on the Government of Canada to act. Specifically, it urges Canada to publicly reaffirm the Xinka people’s right to free, prior, and informed consent and self-determination, and to call on both the company and Guatemalan authorities to respect the outcome of the consultation process. It also calls for the full implementation of Canada’s Voices at Risk guidelines to ensure the safety and protection of Xinka defenders, who continue to face threats for defending their land, water, and communities.
Reaching 500 signatures by April 23 will ensure the petition is formally tabled in Parliament. At a moment when Indigenous rights and environmental protections are under increasing pressure, this is a concrete opportunity for people in Canada to stand in solidarity with the Xinka people and demand accountability from Canadian actors operating abroad.
You can sign the petition here.