No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeLatin AmericaCentral AmericaHonduras Statue Burning Festival: A Protest of Crimes and Injustices

Honduras Statue Burning Festival: A Protest of Crimes and Injustices

Fifteen giant fiberglass statues, including one with the face of murdered environmentalist Berta Cáceres, will be burned this Saturday in protest against crimes and injustices in Honduras.

The burning of the statues marks the closing of a cultural festival, popularly called the “giant chimneys”, which has been held since 2001 in the municipality of Trinidad, population 100,000, in the northwest of the country.

The festival began as an activity associated with the Day of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated by the Catholic Church on December 8, but has evolved into “a cultural act of rebellion,” Ramón Rivera, director of the organizing committee, told AFP.

“We have to tell people what the dark side of the country is,” he adds.

Each statue, which will later become a chimney, is a message of protest against something that has happened in the town, in the country or on the planet.

In addition to the portrait of Cáceres, another statue seeks to draw attention to violence against women, and others symbolize protests against violations of the Constitution or the extinction of wildlife, among other causes.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro attended the festival on Thursday, a day that also featured native dances.

Berta Cáceres, environmentalist, feminist and human rights defender, was assassinated in March 2016 for her opposition to a hydroelectric plant.

Trending Now

FBI Recordings Reveal Costa Rica Ex-Minister Celso Gamboa’s Drug Ties

Costa Rican authorities continue to hold former security minister Celso Gamboa in custody as U.S. officials push for his extradition on drug charges. Recent...

In Costa Rica, Rare White-Lipped Peccaries Still Survive

Today we meet the white-lipped peccary, a large animal that travels in large groups that has disappeared from a large part of its historical...

Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Central Valley

An earthquake shook Costa Rica early Friday morning. The tremor occurred at 12:45 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.4. Its epicenter was located 1...

San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica's main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from...

US Cracks Down on Costa Rica’s Narco Network with New Sanctions

The US Treasury Department moved against a Costa Rican drug trafficking ring today sanctioning four individuals and two entities tied to cocaine smuggling and...

Costa Rica Drivers Face Yearlong Delays as Tárcoles Bridge Undergoes Repairs

Those who frequently use the South Coast Highway, near the Tárcoles river, will have to be more patient.  Repair works have started on the...
spot_img
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