One year after environmental activist Juan López was gunned down, the United Nations office in Honduras pressed authorities to track down and charge those who ordered the killing. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) made the demand in a statement released Sunday, marking the anniversary of López’s death on September 14, 2024.
López, 46, died from gunshot wounds as he left a church northeast of Tegucigalpa. The attack drew quick backlash from the UN and Pope Francis, who condemned the violence against a defender of public lands. López had spoken out against an open-pit iron oxide mine in the Botaderos forest reserve, which he said damaged local water sources and the environment.
A court in early September set a public trial for three men accused in the case: Oscar Alexis Guardado, Daniel Juárez, and Lenis Adonis Cruz. Prosecutors charge them with murder and criminal association, offenses that carry 15 to 20 years in prison if proven. OHCHR noted steps forward against these direct suspects but stressed the need to go further. “The right to truth, justice, and reparation also requires identifying and prosecuting the intellectual authors,” the office said.
Juan Carlos Monge, OHCHR’s representative in Honduras, called López’s work a guide for local groups. “His struggle remains a beacon of hope for communities and for Honduras. Honoring his memory means guaranteeing full justice, protecting those who defend common goods, and ensuring that a tragedy like his never happens again,” Monge said.
López advocated for a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as part of the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common Goods in Tocoa. He focused on safeguarding Montaña de Botaderos National Park from mining threats by the company EMCO.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had granted López protective measures in 2023 after reports of death threats, surveillance, and harassment. Yet OHCHR pointed out that Honduran officials failed to act on those warnings effectively, leaving defenders exposed.
On Saturday, Archbishop José Vicente Nácher of Tegucigalpa led a march through the capital to remember López. The Catholic Church joined calls for accountability, with leaders demanding an end to attacks on environmental advocates. Community members and López’s family walked the streets, pushing for probes into higher-level involvement tied to the mine project.
Pressure builds from abroad. Three U.S. lawmakers—Jim McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, and Delia Ramirez—wrote to the State Department this week, asking for U.S. help in securing justice and safety for Honduran activists. Amnesty International highlighted the case in an opinion piece, linking López’s death to wider patterns of violence against land protectors in Honduras. The group said full accountability would aid not just his family but environmental efforts across the region.
In August, a preliminary hearing advanced the case against the three suspects, with observers from groups like Peace Brigades International present to support the committee López helped lead. Still, reports describe ongoing impunity, with the mine project receiving state backing despite community opposition.
López’s killing fits a trend: Honduras sees high rates of murders targeting environmental defenders, often linked to resource disputes. OHCHR and others warn that without action against those pulling strings, such cases will continue.
