Paraguay: Free Environmental Defender

Vidal Brítez Alcaraz is a 56-year-old Yerba mate producer and president of the Santa María’s Association of Yerba Mate Producers in Paso Yobái. Mr Brítez has played a critical role in fighting for healthy food and denouncing the environmental pollution from mining activities in the region. Paso Yobái, a district located in the department of Guairá, central eastern region of Paraguay, is an area of gold mining exploitation, with transnational mining companies operating in the territory, such as the Latin American Minerals Paraguay Lampa SA and CEMA SA. In 2022, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Marcos Orellana, conducted a mission to Paraguay and specifically verified the situation in Paso Yobái, noting that "the use of mercury and cyanide in gold mining is causing serious environmental impacts."

This has affected the production of yerba mate, a national emblem of Paraguay. Yerba mate producers have denounced the contamination and the negative economic impact they have suffered with the loss of markets for their production. Yerba mate producers have filed several criminal complaints for environmental crimes with the regional prosecutor's office in Villarrica, although they have not had results in terms of stopping illegal and polluting practices.

In this context of tension in the locality, on 10 January 2025, a clash occurred between residents. A local resident, dedicated to gold mining, obtained through a precautionary judicial proceeding a court order granting her an easement through the property of another neighbour, a yerba mate producer, opposed to illegal mining activities.

With the assistance of the National Police, trucks loaded with mining waste were forced into the property of the yerba mate producer, in compliance with the precautionary order. The incident resulted in a clash between the residents, mining workers on one side and yerba producers on the other, who allegedly threw stones with slingshots. As a result of this incident, the Public Ministry opened a criminal case in which six members of the Yerba Producers Association were charged, including Mr. Vidal Britez, who was not present at the scene. At that time, he was at his home, with his work staff, located about 5 km from the location where the incident took place.

Vidal's relatives expressed concern about the impact of the detention on the defender's health, given his asthma condition. They believe that the stress associated with detention and poor care can seriously affect him.