The figure of a saint multiplies that day. It is exchanged and venerated near an abundant water flow and opposite Muxatena, a rock formation of singular beauty. multicolored flowers are offered up in exchange for health, food, work and other favors.

So every June 24, the indigenous community Cora (Nayeri) celebrates the Day of San Juan and also celebrates life, physical and spiritual, associated with the river San Pedro Mezquital, the only free of dams in the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental.

The basin was born in Durango and fed into its mouth to National Marshes, a wetland of international importance and home to 20% of mangroves (swamp forests) of Mexico. On the river, north of the State of Nayarit, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) aims to build the hydroelectric dam Las Cruces, project poses serious impacts on the environment and human rights of indigenous peoples inhabiting the area between Cora them.

AIDA, together with local scientific organizations and prepares legal arguments in environmental and human rights issues to prevent the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project is authorized by the Mexican government, which would lead to execution. In addition, AIDA began a national campaign to inform the reasons why Las Cruces should not be built. In that sense, we launched a website exclusively the case.

Arguments against the Las Cruces project

Among them we can mention the following:

• The increased sedimentation caused by blocking the natural flow of the river would damage the mangroves of National Wetlands.
• The MIA project does not assess the cumulative environmental impacts and failure in using the best scientific information available.
• The construction of the dam would involve forced people and communities whose compensation is not mentioned in the MIA displacement.
• The indigenous peoples of the area were not consulted to obtain their consent to the feasibility studies of the project and its construction.
• Lower river flow affect daily activities (agriculture, livestock, fishing, oyster farming, among others) of nearby communities base their livelihood.
• Muxatena ceremonial centers as would be under water, a blow to the spiritual life and the ancient culture of the natives of the place.

Rapid fall from the top of a rock and armfuls force move from one extreme to another. The swim is already part of their free time and one of the many links that local residents have with the River San Pedro Mezquital.

With your help we will prevent many river ecosystems are destroyed by large dams as Las Cruces!

Thank you!