For several months, we have been researching the murders of environmentalists and water defenders in Latin America, most dangerous continent for people protecting natural resources @PalomaDinechin The 1st part of our investigation, from Guatemala, is online! smalls thread 1/17 
The project began in a very remote area, in the valley #Ixquisis, inhabited by Chuj’ and Kanjobal indigenous communities. Here, a Guatemalan company, Energía y Renovación, has been building an hydroelectric project to exploit the energy potential of the rivers in the area. 2/17
The project was financed in 2013 by IDB Invest. Company filing documents by Energia y Renovacion deny the presence of a majority of indigenous peoples in the area.However, we have found that this does not correspond with reality. 3/17
The company states that the majority of inhabitants of this region are "Spanish-speaking Guatemalan citizens who do not follow an indigenous way of life." False. 86% of the population is indigenous. By so doing the company avoided formal consultation with the population.4/17
According to the local population, the company initially assured them that the project would bring them electricity, which they currently have no access to. In the same document, the company states that "the inhabitants are aware that the project will not bring them electricity
Energía y Renovación denies all of this. 6/17
The hydroelectric project requires rivers to be diverted, creating troubles for subsistence farmers who depend on them for their livelihoods, such as fishing and agriculture. 7/17
As the work began, so did the protests. In 2017, during a demonstration against the hydroelectric project, 68-year-old Sebastían Alonzo, a defender of natural resources, was shot twice. His friends and comrades had to escape to save themselves. 8/17
As he wasn’t offered any medical attention, he died a few hours later. He is one of the 1,773 land and water defender killed in the last ten years, according to @globalwitness 9/17
The police, who were a few kilometers away, did not intervene. Sebastían remained on the ground for two hours and died on the way to the nearest hospital, 3 hours away. When questioned at the scene, the police say: "The case is archived." 10/17
According to the family's lawyer, Cristian Otzin, "the most likely hypothesis is that the shots came from the company's private security, which was recognised by protesters.” The company's two security companies deny any responsibility for the killing. 11/17
Since then, no one has been charged with the crime, and the investigation has stalled. As in almost 90% of cases of land and water defenders killed, the murder remains unsolved. 12/17
In 2022, the IDB Invest, for the first time in its history, backed out from the project. The story, however, did not end there. Determined to complete its project, the company filed a complaint against the state of Guatemala. 13/17
We'd like to express our gratitude to the indigenous communities who trusted us and to the work of the organizations on the ground, which are sometimes left alone to denounce issues of this kind @AIDA @PlataformaInternacional @acoguate 14/17
Have a look at our publication on @Knack
Please spread ❤️🙏🏿 @pressfreedom @ICIJorg @journalismfund @teacherdude @piregional @MonitoreoCol @pressfreedom @aboubakar_soum @ICIJorg @devriesjoost @aanamagalhaes @aanamagalhaes @luciacapuzzi1 @saragandolfi_ @ICFJ @cecilia_strada @CatherineDVries @gijn @FreeThePressNow
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