No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveDozens Arrested, Injured in Honduran Protest

Dozens Arrested, Injured in Honduran Protest

TEGUCIGALPA – A dozen people were injured and 59 arrested when police broke up a road-blocking protest in western Honduras by area residents who are demanding tougher regulation of the mining industry, authorities said.

Among those detained in the town of La Flecha were four Catholic priests, whose presence at the demonstration was authorized by the archdiocese of Copán and who were quickly released.

The protest began at 6 a.m. July 18, when activists blocked six different stretches of highway at various points in Honduras.

Police later said that traffic was flowing freely again within eight hours.

The police chief in Santa Bárbara province, Silvio Inestroza, told reporters that the road-clearing operation in La Flecha left four of his officers and eight protesters injured.

He said that police confiscated machetes and firearms from some of the protesters, who also used sticks and stones in a vain attempt to hold off the cops.

The Civic Alliance for Democracy, which coordinated the nationwide protests, was  joined by indigenous organizations and human-rights groups in condemning “the police repression” of “peaceful” demonstrations.

In Tegucigalpa, meanwhile, delegates from the Civic Alliance reached an agreement with officials on a plan for Congress to pass a new mining bill instead of a package of amendments to the current legislation.

Those proposed amendments, according to the Civic Alliance and leftist parties, would benefit only the mining companies.

A coalition of campesino groups, environmentalists and the Catholic Church has been trying for several years to get the Honduran government to exercise more stringent over sight of the mining industry, which opponents accuse of damaging the environment while providing few economic benefits for local communities.

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Pride March 2025 Defies Restrictions and Celebrates Diversity

A large crowd gathered in Paseo Colón, San José, to participate in the LGBTIQ+ Pride March 2025. It began at noon, as people marched...

Costa Rica and U.S. Strengthen Border Scans and Biometric Cooperation

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem met Wednesday with Honduran President Xiomara Castro to discuss security and migration, following her offer in Costa...

Costa Rica Joins U.S. Global Entry, Easing Travel for Tourists

Costa Rica took a big step forward, by officially joining the U.S. Global Entry program, a move set to make travel smoother for Costa...

Costa Rica’s Rare Birds at Risk as Human Activity Threatens Extinction

Costa Rica’s bare-necked umbrellabird, a striking black bird with a red throat pouch and crest, is in trouble. A new study in Nature Ecology...

Prisma Dental in Costa Rica Keeps Customers Happy and Smiling

I am 81 years old and have had teeth removed, bridges, and cavities fixed several times to sustain my ability to eat and function....

Costa Rica Surf Film Festival Honors ‘Pura Vida Bodysurfing’ with Top Audience Award

Pura Vida Bodysurfing is an award-winning short film that strips surfing back to its essence—riding waves without a surfboard. Filmed across Costa Rica’s legendary...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica