In a ceremony held on May 2 in the Salvadorean capital, environmentalists and people affected by climate change acknowledged the important work carried out by Pineda, who they consider an environmental hero. Pineda had received the international prize on April 12 in California, United States.

The activist and farmer is the chair of the Environmental Committee of Cabañas department located in the north of El Salvador. He has led the resistance to Canadian mining corporation Pacific Rim in the region and to metallic mining across the country.

The Goldman prize is granted every year by the Goldman foundation in recognition to the work done by grassroots environmental activists all over the world. It is one of the world’s most prestigious awards granted to environmental activists. In 1995 Ricardo Navarro, also from El Salvador, had received the award. He is the chair of CESTA – Friends of the Earth El Salvador and former chair of Friends of the Earth International.

Pineda’s struggle is specially highlighted because the resistance to Pacific Rim has cost the activists of Canañas trials, violence and even murder. Pineda himself and his family have received death threats.

The winner of the Goldman Prize 2011 has been one of the main voices to demand justice over the murders in Cabañas. In fact, when Pineda received the award he remembered the activists who were murdered.

In 2009 Marcelo Gustavo Rivera, Ramiro Rivera Gomez and Dora Alicia Recinos were killed. They were part of the resistance to the granting of mining exploitation licenses to the Canadian mining corporation.

In a press conference where CESTA- Friends of the Earth El Salvador congratulated Pineda for having been awarded the Goldman Prize 2011, the activist acknowledged that the award is shared with many social organizations and people who have worked together against mining.

In his acceptance speech, Pineda regretted that in his country the people who defend the environment are considered “crazy” or “against development”. He added that the prize is an incentive to “continue fighting until the companies that are threatening us with mining are out of the country”.