Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (December 20, 2024) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07) and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) today led ten of their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the administration to publicly condemn the prosecution of Indigenous environmental defenders by the Guatemalan government and conduct due diligence to better avoid providing support for projects that violate environmental and human rights abroad.

The lawmakers call on the State Department to end support for projects that violate environmental and human rights abroad. They also urge the Biden administration to publicly condemn the prosecution of Sofia Tot Ac and other Indigenous environmental defenders who have opposed energy projects that cause direct harm to the surrounding environment and communities. Furthermore, they lawmakers advocate for an immediate investigation into the assassination of Noé Gómez Barrera and the violence against other Indigenous leaders who have spoken out against these projects.

In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “The United States should not provide support for projects that violate environmental and human rights abroad and should assist any efforts by the local government and community to have in place a just transition plan for the local economy to move away from dependence on harmful mining, energy, and infrastructure projects. In the remaining time of the Biden administration, it must publicly condemn the prosecution of Sofia Tot Ac and other indigenous environmental defenders who have spoken out against energy projects, and advocate for an immediate investigation into the assassination of Noé Gomez Barrera and violence against other Indigenous leaders who have spoken out against these projects.”

This letter has been signed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I- Vt.), and Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Eleanor Homes Norton (DC), Jesu´s G. “Chuy” Garci´a (IL-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Greg Casar (TX-35).

Throughout his career, Senator Markey has been a strong advocate for indigenous environmental defenders in the United States and abroad:

• On November 13, 2024, Senator Markey, alongside Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16), reintroduced the Targeting Environmental and Climate Recklessness Act (TECRA), legislation that would provide the State Department the ability to leverage Global Magnitsky sanctions against individuals and organizations that perpetrate environmental damages and commit human rights abuses against environmental defenders.
• On January 31, 2024, Senator Markey cosponsored the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act of 2024, legislation enhances the United States’ ability to protect individuals abroad who are attacked for peacefully defending human rights and democracy.
• On March 31, 2023, Senator Markey joined his colleagues in introducing a resolution expressing concern regarding environmental crimes and attacks on the human rights of environmental and land defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• In August 2022, Senator Markey led his colleagues in sending letters to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power, and International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Scott Nathan urging them to mobilize the U.S. government to support environmental defenders across the globe. 

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