The inhabitants of this small town in southern Mexico have been denouncing the environmental effects of one of Oaxaca's largest mining projects for years.
In southern Mexico, a multi-ethnic network of towns has halted the construction of a mega-dam. Now they are organizing to manage their own natural resources and revitalize their culture as native water protectors.
On May 6, 2009, 3,500 Federal and State Police descended upon the Valley of Ocotlán, Oaxaca, and occupied the territory of the municipality of San José del Progreso, handing over the gold and silver to the Canadian mining company Fortuna Silver Mines.