Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World News

Honduran anti-mining activist who fought to save rivers is killed

An environmental activist who protested mining and hydro-electric projects in northern Honduras in an effort to preserve tropical forests and rivers has been killed, police said on Sunday.

Juan Lopez was shot dead on Saturday night by several men as he headed home in his car from church, an official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Lopez belonged to the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods, an environmental organization in the city of Tocoa on the country’s Atlantic coast.

Three other members of the group were killed last year in what the organization saw as retaliation, in a country that is one of the world’s most dangerous for activists.

The group had suffered threats and harassment for years amid efforts to preserve the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers, and the Carlos Escaleras nature reserve, amid the growing presence of mining and hydro-electric companies.

“We demand clear and conclusive answers, this government must answer for the killing of our colleague Juan Lopez,” the group said in a post on social media.

Last October, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights granted precautionary measures in favor of 30 members of the group and their legal representatives, including Lopez. It urged the Honduras government to strengthen its protection mechanisms.

According to the commission, Lopez reported numerous threats, including from a gang member, a local businessperson, and a mining company representative. Since June, two men on motorcycles began appearing around his home, the commission said.

The United Nations resident coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford, said Lopez had been threatened for his activism, and she praised his efforts to stand up to powerful interests.

“We condemn the terrible murder of Juan Lopez, a human rights defender threatened for his work,” she said in a post on social media.

Latin America accounted for 85% of the world’s environmentalists who were killed last year, according to UK advocacy group Global Witness, with 18 deaths registered in Honduras.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

    You May Also Like

    Stocks

    In this episode of StockCharts TV‘s The MEM Edge, Mary Ellen reviews what’s shaping up in the broader markets after the Fed announced their rate cut...

    Tech

    Meta has lowered the minimum age to use the popular messaging platform WhatsApp. The move, which came into effect on Thursday, reduces the age...

    Tech

    Astronomers have discovered the Milky Way’s “most massive” stellar black hole yet. The newly discovered black hole is 33 times bigger than the sun...

    Business

    Stocks sold off Friday as inflation and geopolitical worries once again dented investor sentiment on Wall Street. A broad decline in major bank shares...

    Disclaimer: globalwashingtonwebinar.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 globalwashingtonwebinar.com | All Rights Reserved