_{FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE}

_{September 4, 2024}

_CONTACT:

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

_{Patricia Montes | pmontes@cpresente.org (613) 483-2937}

_{Ivan Espinoza Madriga | iespinoza@lawyersforcivilrights.org (908) 405-2269}

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Alianza Americas, Centro Presente, and Lawyers for Civil Rights condemn the murder in Honduras of Juan López, defender of the Botaderos mountain, the Carlos Escaleras national park, and the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers, on Saturday, 14 September. "‘Regrettably, this is yet another violent attack against an environmental, water, and territorial defender who was fighting against corruption. The three organizations issuing this press statement had the privilege of talking with Juan López to understand better the challenges and needs for support in his struggle to create the conditions for people to live with dignity and safety in their territories and not be forced to migrate," said Oscar Chacón, advisor to Alianza Americas, who was part of the delegation to Honduras co-organized with Centro Presente and Lawyers for Civil Rights, in which we had the opportunity for exchange with Juan López.

Baked on information known to the public, Juan López had denounced threats from the mayor of Tocoa, Inversiones los Pinares, Grupo EMCO, and Inversiones Ecotek. "His work as a defender of the environment, water, territories, and the fight against corruption was unfortunately perceived as a threat to Hondura's economic and political power," said Patricia Montes, director of Centro Presente.‍

Juan López was also a municipal council member of Tocoa, representing the governing party. In recent days, Juan López had participated in a press conference to call for the resignation of the mayor of Tocoa. "The political and social leadership of Juan López contributed to building societies where people can live with dignity and safety. The fact that they have murdered a person under the Protection Mechanism for Defenders, Journalists, and Lawyers, and in whose favor the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had issued precautionary measures, is very worrying. The actions being taken are insufficient," said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, lawyer and executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights."Violence against rights defenders in Honduras must be a priority for the government and Honduran society," concluded Espinoza-Madrigal.    ‍

Alianza Americas, Centro Presente and Lawyers for Civil Rights call on the Honduran president to take decisive and effective measures to provide protection to environmental defenders and demand an effective international criminal investigation to determine the intellectual and material authors of this crime.

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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.‍

Centro Presente struggles for immigrant rights and for economic and social justice. Through the integration of community organizing, leadership development and basic services, Centro Presente strives to give our members voice and build community power.‍

Lawyers for Civil Rights fights discrimination and fosters equity through creative and courageous legal advocacy, education, and economic empowerment. With law firms and community allies, we provide free, life-changing legal support to individuals, families, and small businesses.

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