Campesino families in the Bajo Aguán continue to be threatened by violence caused by organized crime and agro-industrial companies, who use misinformation, harassment, and physical attacks to violate the human rights of campesino people.

After months of attacks against the organized people of the Bajo Aguán, November’s storms made evident that violence against land defenders and violence against the land are completely intertwined.

Violence against land defenders continues to escalate in the Aguán. In September, hitmen took the life of environmentalist and leader, Juan López. In mid-October, Selvin Noe Garcia, member of the Brisas del Aguán Cooperative, was murdered by people linked to organized crime.

During the month of August, violent incidents against campesino families and land defenders in the Bajo Aguán and other areas of the country began to increase again.

During July, the organized communities of the Bajo Aguán, including those represented by the CMDBCPT, COPA, and the Agrarian Platform, organized to recuperate the Carlos Escaleras National Park through a Popular Assembly and a visit to the Park.

During June, the Agrarian Platform and COPA strongly denounced and resisted the illegitimate “open” town hall meeting regarding the Pinares/ECOTEK thermoelectric plant and threats against cooperatives by armed criminal groups.

During the months of April and May, representatives from the Agrarian Platform and COPA mobilized across the country with other organizations, demanding that the State of Honduras respect agrarian land rights and its obligations under international law.