COFADEH warns of the dangers to the family and companeros of murdered Guapinol River defender Juan Lopez in Honduras

Published by Brent Patterson on October 10, 2024October 10, 2024

Photo: Cofadeh coordinator Bertha Oliva speaks at media conference, October 9, 2024. Photo by Orlando Sierra/AFP.

The Spanish news agency EFE reports: “The Committee of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared in Honduras (Cofadeh) warned on Wednesday [October 9] that the lives of the relatives of environmentalist Juan López, murdered on September 14, may be in danger, so it called on the authorities to prevent a new crime.”

The video of the Cofadeh media conference can be seen here.

López was a member of the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) of Tocoa and a defender of the Guapinol River from a mining-thermoelectric plant-iron oxide pelletizing plant megaproject.

Cofadeh coordinator Bertha Oliva said: “We are calling on the mechanism for the protection of human rights to guarantee the safety of Juan López’s wife, children and his companions who accompanied him in his campaign.”

Video still: Juan Lopez.

Expansion adds: “Leonel George, Lopez’s colleague in the CMDBCP and also a councillor, told AFP that Lopez’s family already has police protection, but that other people around him are still exposed to significant risks.”

Cofadeh to call on Public Ministry

The EFE article adds: “Oliva indicated that on Thursday [October 10] Cofadeh will be present at the headquarters of the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) to demand social justice and demand security for the family of the murdered environmentalist and his colleagues.”

First hearing of suspects

EFE also notes: “So far, Honduran authorities have arrested, last week, four men involved in the crime against López, of whom three appeared before a court in San Pedro Sula, north, where they were sentenced to judicial detention and must appear this week in an initial hearing.”

Tunota.com adds: “After hearing the presentation of the prosecution and the defense, the judge determined that the three defendants will remain held in the National Penitentiary of Támara, in Francisco Morazán.”

For more on this: PBI-Honduras accompanies the Municipal Committee at initial hearing for three men accused of killing Guapinol River defender Juan Lopez (PBI-Canada article, October 9, 2024).

UN Special Rapporteurs note responsibilities of companies

United Nations Special Rapporteurs, including Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, have stated: “His murder is part of a framework of attacks, intimidation and criminalization of human rights defenders who make up the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) and who publicize the negative consequences of the activities of the mining company Inversiones los Pinares (formerly EMCO Mining Company) in a protected area and the steel company Inversiones ECOTEK.”

Their statement adds: “The two companies belong to EMCO Holdings, which would have partnered with a large overseas steel company.”

The UN Special Rapporteurs further highlighted: “As part of their responsibility to respect human rights, companies, including investors, must ensure that their actions or omissions do not result in reprisals, violence or intimidation, or the use of legal proceedings against defenders, throughout their value chain.”

U.S.-based Nucor corporation

An investigative report by Contra Corriente and Drilled reveals that U.S.-based Nucor maintained a relationship with Inversiones Los Pinares, the company behind a controversial mining megaproject in Honduras, at least until September 30, 2023, despite having claimed to have ended their ties in October 2019.

Photo: Google image of Nucor headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As of June 2024, the top investors in Nucor include the Royal Bank of Canada ($70 million), the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ($35 million), the Toronto-Dominion Bank ($19 million), TD Asset Management ($14 million) and the National Bank of Canada ($11 million).

Accompaniment

The Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project has accompanied Municipal Committee for the Defence of Common and Public Goods of Tocoa (CMDBCPT) processes and Guapinol River defenders since January 2019.