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The Honduran National Police have offered a reward of 500,000 lempiras for information leading to the killers of environmental activist Juan López.
The United Nations (UN) system in Honduras condemned on Tuesday the murder of environmentalist and councilman Juan López , which occurred on Saturday, and urged the Government to provide the necessary guarantees to protect his family and his community, where the politician opposed a mining project.
In a statement, the UN System condemned the violent death of López, whom it described as a “community leader who dedicated his life to the protection” of natural resources, the Guapinol River ; the Botaderos Carlos Escaleras Mejía Mountain National Park and his community in the municipality of Tocoa, Colón department, in the Caribbean of Honduras.
López was shot dead on Saturday night in the Caribbean municipality of Tocoa, where he was a municipal councilor for the ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party ( Libre ).
The UN System noted that López was exposed to “numerous threats and criminalization ,” which is why he was a beneficiary of the National Protection System in Honduras and had precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ( IACHR ) since 2013, which shows “the risks and the situation of vulnerability” that defenders face in the Central American country.
Opposition of environmentalist Juan López
The environmentalist was opposed to a controversial mining project known as Guapinol, in Colón, which has been questioned for the alleged illegality of its exploitation concession, considering that it affects the Carlos Escaleras Park.
The UN urged the Honduran authorities to carry out an “immediate, exhaustive and impartial” investigation to identify and punish those materially and intellectually responsible for this murder, which has caused consternation and condemnation in the country.
The United Nations System expressed “its deepest condolences and solidarity” with López’s family, his community and environmental and human rights defenders in Honduras.
The Honduran National Police has offered a reward of 500,000 lempiras for information leading to the murderers of the environmentalist, whose crime was carried out by “expert hitmen,” according to the Police Investigations Directorate (DPI).
