In 2003, the Mexican Federal Electricity Commission proposed the construction of La Parota Dam in the State of Guerrero. The 900 MW dam on the Papagayo River would flood close to 17,000 hectares of land and displace more than 25,000 people. An additional 75,000 people are expected to be affected by changes to the river ecosystem downstream of the dam. Major losses in fisheries could occur all the way downstream of the dam until the river’s delta at the Pacific Ocean. Communities are also concerned because the dam’s location is close to a seismic fault.

In 2004 affected communities created the Council of Communal Land Owners and Communities Against Construction of La Parota Dam (CECOP). They joined forces with MAPDER – the Mexican Movement of Dam–Affected People – and have held numerous protests and other activities to register their opposition to the dam. Several protests have been met with violent police repression, which has resulted in two deaths and violated the rights of affected communities.

The Federal Electricity Commission is trying to obtain project approval by holding false consultations and preventing attendance by those opposed to the dam. In January of 2006, a Mexican court declared that some of the consultation meetings held by the Federal Electricity Commission were invalid.

The project is estimated to cost more than US$1 billion and construction companies from several countries have shown an interest in the project, including Mexican construction company ICA owned by magnate Carlos Slim, ranked the world’s fourth–richest man by Forbes magazine. The Mexican government hopes to commence construction as soon as possible, but whether they can obtain the necessary approvals and financing remains to be seen.

IRN is working with local NGOs to support their campaign to stop the dam. We are helping to call international attention to human rights violations taking place, and the illegal consultation process associated with this project.

Death Over Dams Mexican Villagers Risk Their Lives to Save Their Livelihoods

Read an article and view a slideshow about the struggle against La Parota Dam in Orion Magazine. Photographs by Roberto Guerra; Text by Ruxandra Guidi; Published in the July/August 2007 issue of Orion Magazine, July 2007.

Our Land is not for Sale!

From World Rivers Review, April 2006.

Help the People Who Would Be Affected by La Parota Dam in Mexico!

Send a message to the President of Mexico asking that he cancel construction of the La Parota Hydroelectric project due to the opposition by communities who would be affected by the dam, February 23, 2006.

Mexico Peasants Take up Machetes Against Dam

Story by Catherine Bremer, Reuters, January 6, 2006.

NGOs Express Deep Concerns for Human Rights Violations in Guerrero State

Letter to Mexico’s President Fox requesting him to cancel the La Parota Hydroelectric Project, stop repression of project opponents and investigate better alternatives for meeting Mexico’s energy needs, January 2006.