Vista Gold Corp -
Post says Da Capo's Bolivian disaster was a turning point
Vista Gold Corp VGZ
Shares issued 89,152,540 1998-10-30 close $0.26
Monday Nov 2 1998
The Financial Post reports in its Monday edition that the story of the Christmas Massacre in 1996 in Bolivia, involving Da Capo Resources, grabbed only a few lines in Canadian newspapers. (The Post calls the company, which amalgamated with Vista Gold in late 1996, "Da Capa.") Reporter Adrienne Tanner says, however, that word got around in Latin America, stealing some of the shine from Canada's gold reputation as a peaceful business partner. The tragedy also helped kickstart a national push to encourage Canadian mining companies to develop a gentler corporate culture. Armed with rifles, dynamite, sticks, machetes and stones, 1,000 Bolivian peasants fought to hold off the local army that had been called in to defend the Canadian mining company's interests. Ten people died and 35 were wounded in the three-day bloodbath that ended three days before Christmas. When community negotiations broke down, Da Capo called in the Bolivian army to enforce its legal right to the mine.
(c) Copyright 1998 Canjex Publishing Ltd. canada-stockwatch.com
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