Honduran adversary of mining operations, dedicated to preserving waterways, meets tragic end
Juan Lopez met his end on a Saturday night, getting gunned down by multiple individuals as he made his way home from church in his car, a source informed Reuters, maintaining anonymity.
Lopez was a part of the Municipal Committee for the Protection and Advocacy of Public and Common Interests, a local environmental group based in Tocoa, a coastal city.
Three other individuals associated with this group were murdered last year, allegedly in retribution, in a nation identified as one of the world's most hazardous for activists.
The group faced intimidation and harassment for years, as they fought to safeguard the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers, as well as the Carlos Escaleras nature reserve. Their efforts were impeded by the encroaching presence of mining and hydroelectric companies.
"We demand a definitive and concise explanation; this administration must account for the death of our comrade Juan Lopez," the group stated on social media.
In October of the previous year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued preventive measures in favor of 30 group members and their legal representatives, including Lopez. They encouraged the Honduran government to strengthen its protective measures.
According to the commission, Lopez had reported numerous threats, including from a gang member, a local entrepreneur, and a mining company representative. Since June, two men on motorcycles had started frequenting his neighborhood, the commission disclosed.
The United Nations' Honduran coordinator, Alice Shackelford, said Lopez was threatened due to his activism, and commended his bravery in challenging influential interests.
"We condemn the heinous murder of Juan Lopez, an activist facing threats for his work," she wrote on social media.
As per UK advocacy group Global Witness, Latin America accounted for 85% of the global environmentalists who were murdered last year, with 18 deaths reported in Honduras.
The group strongly condemned the killing of Juan Lopez, expressing the need for a clear explanation from the administration, as he was a prominent figure in their fight against environmental degradation in the Americas. Several individuals associated with their cause have faced similar fates, highlighting the dangerous situation for activists in the world.
