Travel Guide El Estor

El Estor is a small town populated by Q'eqchi' located some forty kilometers west of Río Dulce, on the lago de Izabal, Guatemala's largest lake and one of the most important in Central America. Before the road linking the two municipalities was completed, El Estor was a strategic point in the lucrative coffee trade. At the end of the 19th century, Livingston was Guatemala's leading port, with millions of sacks of coffee being loaded for shipment all over the world. Grown in the Verapaces region, the cherries needed to produce this precious beverage were transported to the Izabal lagoon in El Estor, from where they were shipped by river to Livingston. It is assumed that the name of this first crossing point comes from the English "the store" .From then on, the town's main sources of income were fishing and agriculture - corn, rice and bananas to the fore, cardamom, coffee and cocoa to a lesser extent. Although El Estor is not part of the traditional tourist circuit, travellers with time on their hands can stop off to discover the superb natural site of las Bocas del Polochic. Be warned, however: the early 2020s were marked by conflict between several indigenous communities and the Fénix mina, owned by Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel, a branch of the Russian-Swiss Solway Investment Group. By the end of 2021, the protests had reached the point where the town was declared to be in a state of siege. Criticizing the mine for operating illegally and polluting the environment, the locals were subjected to violent repression by the forces of law and order, which left several people injured, including children.So, before visiting the area, make sure that the situation is safe and that the conflict has not flared up again. If this is the case, it's perfectly possible to stay in the area around Río Dulce - which has a better infrastructure - and come on a day trip.