^{FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE}

^{October 2, 2024}

^CONTACT:

^{Yanci Nuñez | ynunez@alianzaamericas.org (312) 866-0312}

More than 100 civil society organizations from Honduras, Latin America, the United States, and the globe sent a letter to Honduran President Xiomara Castro to express their deep concern and dismay at the recent murder of Juan López, environmental defender and municipal councilor of Tocoa, which occurred on September 14. 

Regrettably, this murder reflects an alarming pattern of violence against environmental defenders in Honduras. The signing organizations expressed their concern that the Honduran State did not guarantee the safety of Juan López and requested the President to adopt urgent measures to ensure the adequate protection of the life and personal integrity of human rights, environmental, water, and territorial defenders in Honduras. No person should lose their life for fighting for the collective goods that guarantee the well-being of the Honduran people.

In the letter, the organizations asked President Castro to leverage international bodies such as the Inter-American system to protect Human Rights and the United Nations to investigate the facts and establish the corresponding criminal responsibility. The fight against impunity is one of the country's most significant challenges. That is why initiatives such as the International Commission against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (CICIH) must be implemented. The CICIH will result from an agreement between Honduras and the United Nations to establish an independent and autonomous body for the investigation and prosecution of high-impact cases. It will act as a private prosecutor. 

Violence against environmental and human rights defenders is a severe harm to Honduran society as a whole. As civil society organizations, we express to the President our expectation that actions that protect those who work to defend territories, the environment, and water will be prioritized under her leadership.‍

The letter is available here.‍

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‍Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable way of life for communities in North, Central, and South America.

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