The Honduran Mining Law, whose passage was expected by mid-May, was suspended because mining companies don't want to stop strip mining in the mountains, saying it would discourage investment. Lawmakers and environmental organizations protested the companies' efforts to continue the “open-pit mining” practices and to expand the 10-year period for exploration and exploitation to 15 or 20 years.

Deputy Doris Gutiérrez, of the leftist Democratic Unification Party, told Tierramérica that the mining companies thus want to eliminate “the consensus process” that has taken four years.

Juan Almendares, of the Madre Tierra group, said some legislators are trying to invalidate the promise made by President Manuel Zelaya to ban open-pit mining practices.