Felipe Xo Quib, fisherman and founder of the Artisanal Fishermen's Association of El Estor, Izabal, Guatemala, was murdered. Xo Quib was part of the resistance against the Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel (CGN), a subsidiary of the Swiss Solway Investment Group, and its Fénix mining project, which was allegedly imposed without consulting the Mayan Q'eqchi' community.

The fishing community points to the murderer as a ‘faithful collaborator’ of CGN, who used to go to the homes of families persecuted by the authorities during the state of siege imposed in El Estor under the government of Alejandro Giammattei. Xo Quib's family, together with the Board of Directors of the Gremial, have initiated legal proceedings for the murder, although they fear the criminalisation and judicial harassment they have faced for their struggle in defence of the territory against mining.

We invited Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel (CGN) to comment on the allegations, but the company did not respond.