Mirtha Vasquez
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- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Peruvian lawyer Mirtha Vásquez has represented land defender Máxima Acuña and her family in their ongoing fight against the mining company that is trying to build a giant gold mine on top of their home.
As she heads into the next phase of the fight against Newmont Mining, will you send a special thank you to Mirtha for her incredible support?
A,
Over the years, we’ve told you about courageous land defender Máxima Acuña and her fight to stop a giant gold mine in Peru. Now, we want to introduce to you to another hero of this story: Mirtha Vásquez.
Mirtha is the... lawyer who has taken on Newmont Mining on a shoestring budget, almost single-handedly keeping Máxima out of jail. Earlier this year, SumOfUs members like you chipped in thousands of dollars to support her work for Máxima.
As you can imagine, this fight has taken its toll. For her efforts, Newmont has threatened Mirtha’s family and broken into her home. But that hasn’t stopped her.
As Mirtha and her organization GRUFIDES head into the next phase of the fight against Newmont, we want to remind them that we have their back, and that thousands of people don’t want them to give up.
Will you send a message of gratitude to Mirtha, and encourage her to keep fighting?
For the past 5 years, Newmont has been using its bottomless corporate pockets to tie Máxima, a subsistence farmer, up in ridiculous legal charges, threats, and intimidation. But thanks in large part to Mirtha’s legal representation, Máxima has been able to fend off Newmont.
SumOfUs members like you have been instrumental in supporting Mirtha in her fight. Recently, SumOfUs sent her small grassroots non-profit organization, GRUFIDES, thousands of dollars so they could continue their important work. For that, she sent this special thank you message:
“Thank you so much for your ongoing support for Máxima and GRUFIDES in our fight against mining corporations. It gives us strength to know so many people care about our struggle. Because of your funds, we have been able to help protect Máxima from Newmont’s bullying, and I was able to fly to Newmont’s headquarters in the US tell the corporation, to its face, that enough is enough.”
SumOfUs is committed to keep supporting heroes like Mirtha and Máxima and their fight against mining giants.
Let’s show Mirtha that we appreciate the work she is doing to defend local organizers who oppose Newmont’s giant gold mine.
Click here to send a message of support to Mirtha now.
Mirtha has not only led the legal charge against Newmont but has also been a critical emotional support for Máxima and her family as they live under constant threat and surveillance. Mirtha has made the treacherous 6.5-hour journey to where Máxima lives through security checkpoints, and she often has to walk the last leg of the journey on foot.
Mirtha has shown again and again that she is committed to fighting the legal and psychological battle that Newmont is waging. Your critical donations allowed her to fly to Newmont’s shareholder meeting to present the human rights’ abuses Máxima has suffered at the hands of Newmont.
Her legal vigilance is one of the only things standing in the way of Newmont’s relentless attempt to build its gold mine.
Will you write Mirtha a message of encouragement to keep her fighting Newmont?
In 2015, after Mirtha told Máxima that 140,000 signed petitions calling on Newmont to leave Máxima alone, Máxima teared up and said:
"I would like to thank everyone from around the world who signed the petition in support of my case. In truth I am fighting with my family for something just, to defend my land, whatever it has cost me. For this I thank you because your support has given me the strength to continue fighting."
And last year, tens of thousands of you congratulated Máxima for her efforts in keeping Newmont from building the giant gold mine and winning the “Green Nobel”.
And while Newmont has publicly stated that the Conga mine is on hold, Newmont continues to intimidate and harass Máxima’s family. This is why we need to keep fighting.
Mirtha does her work through an organization called GRUFIDES, a Peruvian non-profit, with a limited budget and many demands. Every dollar is critical for her continued work. And thanks to your help, they can continue fighting.
Thanks for all that you do,
Angus, Emma, Kat, and the rest of the team at SumOfUs
More information:
Mirtha Vásquez, una mujer valiente/Mirtha Vásquez, a brave woman CAAAP, 04 April 2017
MIRTHA VÁSQUEZ: Una visita a Máxima/MIRTHA VÁSQUEZ: A visit to Máxima Grufides, 17 January 2017
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