It’s horrifying: the second largest underground water reserve on Earth, the Guarani aquifer in South America, is in the process of being sold off to beverage giants like Coke and Nestlé who will exploit it for massive profits while sucking vital water from four different countries. 

The aquifer also lies under the ancestral lands of the Guarani Indigenous people who have been violently displaced by ranchers, but who still have deep connections to the land. This greedy plan would further displace the Guarani people and cause more intense distress within the community. 

But an agreement on this massive water grab haven’t been solidified yet. Coke and Nestlé are still in talks with Brazil’s hugely unpopular president Michel Temer trying to pin down a deal. A huge outcry now would let Coke and Nestlé know that no one wants to see the Guarani aquifer drained to make a couple corporations massive profits. 

The Guarani aquifer is around 1.2 million square kilometers (460,000 square miles), the second largest in the world. It’s estimated that the aquifer could sustain the world’s population in fresh water for 200 years. It’s obvious that this precious aquifer should not be drained and sold for massive profits by huge beverage corporations like Coke and Nestlé. 

Both Nestlé and Coke created corporate commitments against land grabs. Despite this, both mega-corporations are trying to make a deal stealing Guarani land while further displacing an already vulnerable Indigenous population. This disgusting water grab has to be stopped. 

Thanks to your support, SumOfUs isn’t afraid to take on massive corporations like Nestlé and Coke. Over 285,000 caring members like you signed a petition calling on Coca-Cola to fairly share the profits of stevia-based beverages with the Guarani people. Not only that, but because of the pressure of over 250,000 SumOfUs members working with local activists, Nestlé couldn’t set up shop in a small town in Oregon.  We know that when we take on beverages giants like Nestlé and Coke, we win.