Canada Closed its Doors to Justice for Mariano Abarca - What's Next?
Channel: MiningWatch Canada
Date: 2023-06-07

ENGLISH recording
In 2009, prominent Mexican environment defender Mariano Abarca was killed while speaking out against a Canadian mine and his family is still fighting for justice. Tonight, we hear from Mariano's family and supporters as they launch a groundbreaking complaint against Canada at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for failure to investigate the Canadian Embassy's role in putting Mariano at greater risk. #Justice4Mariano

Speakers include:
- José Luis Abarca, lawyer and son of Mariano Abarca, about the firsthand experience attempting to use Canada's whistleblower law to hold the Embassy accountable.
- Esperanza Salazar, an organizer with the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining (REMA), about the ongoing risks posed to environment defenders who speak out
- Leah Gardner, lawyer with the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) about the legal complaint filed to the IACHR

The event is moderated by Viviana Herrera of MiningWatch Canada and Bianca Mugyenyi from the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, who share some insights into the role Canadian economic diplomacy plays in promoting mining investment (often at the expense of human rights defenders) and the urgent need for change.