LA-NICARAGUA-CANAL/PROTEST Nicaraguans march against construction of the Interoceanic Grand Canal

Record ID: 151107

  • Title: LA-NICARAGUA-CANAL/PROTEST Nicaraguans march against construction of the Interoceanic Grand Canal
  • Date: 13th June 2015
  • Summary: JUIGALPA, CHONTALES, NICARAGUA (JUNE 13, 2015) (REUTERS) MARCHERS HOLDING A BANNER THAT READS "ORTEGA SELLS HIS COUNTRY" VARIOUS OF MARCHERS MAN HOLDING A SIGN THAT READS "MADRIZ IS HERE IN THE FIGHT TO RESCUE DEMOCRACY. NO THE THE CANAL, ROBBBERY-DISASTER" VARIOUS OF PROTEST MARCHERS MARCHERS HOLD BANNER THAT READS "NICARAGUA IS OURS LET'S DEFEND IT. NO TO LAW 840" (SOUND
  • Embargoed: 28th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nicaragua
  • Country: Nicaragua
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABKVE9SGI4I7VQ1NQS9JM1E6O7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thousands of residents of the Nicaraguan town of Juigalpa marched on Saturday (June 13) to protest the construction of a canal in their country by a Chinese company.
    One year ago, Nicaraguan lawmakers granted a 50-year concession to Chinese company HKND Group to design, build and manage the shipping channel across the Central American nation that would compete with the Panama Canal.
    Tensions are heightened in the region over the construction of the $50 billion shipping canal that critics say will force residents from their home and submerge communities.
    "That we overturn the 840 law (legalizing the construction of the canal) the big canal," said resident protester Nelson Miranda. "They want to expropriate all the land form our Nicaraguan brothers, right, where the canal is going to pass through and that is why today we are protesting in Juigalpa."
    The Nicaraguan government headed by President Daniel Ortega defends the canal construction. As one of the poorest countries in Central America, Ortega has said Nicaragua has much to gain from the project.
    The $40 billion proposal calls for linking Nicaragua's Caribbean and Pacific coasts and includes plans for two free-trade zones, a railway, an oil pipeline and airports.
    Critics of the plan have railed against selling out state assets to the Chinese, and marchers at the protest routinely shouted "Ortega is a country seller!"
    "We are going to destroy the large reserves of water that we have here in the country. Here in Juigalpa we have ninety thousand people that need the water and we are the ones that are protesting for this project to not happen," said resident protester Larry Blandon.
    Some experts predict that construction could have an impact on some 30,000 people living along its proposed route.
    The government says the canal, which has been discussed for decades and will stretch some 173 miles long, could boost the country's gross domestic product by up to 15 percent but protesters don't believe that.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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