A group of environmentalists gathers with local leaders in remote eastern El Salvador to draw attention to pollution in the San Sebastien River, which they say is caused by mining. In 2017, El Salvador became the first country to ban metal mining, before lifting the prohibition in December 2024. The country's president Nayib Bukele has called for the reintroduction of mining for gold and other materials. He has announced a $3 billion gold mining plan. This decision has been condemned by environmentalists, who fear that it will lead to the contamination of water resources. "It is impossible to think that mining will bring development, it brings destruction and death", says community leader Rosa Lopez, as she looks at the blood-red waters of the San Sebastian river. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES