Tactical police units and soldiers from the Nicaraguan Army clashed against farmers who amassed in protest against one of the most controversial, convoluted and quixotic civil engineering projects of the 21^st century, the Grand Interoceanic Canal of Nicaragua. According to Mexican newspaper AM Queretaro, the violent demonstrations have left dozens wounded and two or three in critical condition.

More than two thousand agricultural workers from El Tule, located 260 kilometers southeast of Managua, moved to block southbound vehicular traffic on the Pan-American Highway, a road that is often used by adventurous drivers who choose to drive from North America to Costa Rica and Panama. The blockade unfolded for about a week and was set to intensify with protest against the Nicaragua Canal project; alas, special units from the National Police and infantry squads attacked protesters with tear gas and “non-lethal” rubber ammunition.

Tragically, the events above took place just before Christmas Eve, and there are conflicting reports over whether Nicaraguan security forces killed protesters in this violent riot control operation. On Christmas Day, British newspaper The Independent reported that:

Police in Nicaragua have denied claims that at least two people were killed during violent protests that followed Monday’s inauguration of work on a proposed 173-mile canal to connect the Atlantic to the Pacific.

 

According to some estimates, at least 30,000 people would be displaced by the canal. “We’re not going to allow them to kick us out of our property. We’re ready to die before we give our property to the Chinese,” said Orlando Ocampo, who leads an association of farmers. But claims made by activists that two protesters had died in this week’s protests were denied by the director-general of police, Aminta Granera.

AM Queretaro published a statement by a leader of the protesting farmers, who spoke to the Associated Press:

“This is how the government solves things, this is the Christmas we get, sending soldiers and police to kill us, because they can only take us away from our land in coffins.”

In the meantime, the government in Nicaragua states that the Pan-American Highway is no longer blocked, but local news radio reports indicate that makeshift blockade points are still being made with rocks and burning tires.