An international petition to free Herrera has been launched, which also exposes that over 20 community leaders, including Ruben, are being persecuted, charged or trials have been brought against them, which confirm the strong pressure by the Spanish transnational corporation to break the impartiality of judges and prosecutors.

“This corporate-military control reminds us of death and impunity in our country. The illegal arrest, such as the case of Ruben Herrera, the intimidations, murders and repression pose a serious threat to democracy and to the citizen’s rights. The evictions, the usurpation of sacred places, the theft and water pollution and the dismissal of community consultations are policies that undermine life and destroy the little progress made to live in peace”, reads the press release.

The recent Mesoamerican Meeting of Resistance to the Mining Extractive Model (M4) also demanded Herrera’s release, who they define as “an exemplary activist for community rights”.

Radio Temblor of Panama made a special report that we share about the situation of individual rights violations, as well as the violation of the right to resist megaprojects in Guatemala.

In the report, Ruben’s wife, Cecilia Merida, thanked the people for the international solidarity and talked about the details of Ruben’s detention and the charges brought against him by the corporation: “this is another link in the long chain of oppressions and offenses by transnational corporations”, said Cecila.

Click here: Facebook for more information and to support the campaign to free Ruben Herrera.