Aguán News Alert | January 2025
Image Description: Members of the Agrarian Platform and COPA protest on the CA-13 highway, demanding the return of the Camarones Cooperative farm and respect for campesino land possession. | Photo Credits: Plataforma Agraria.
“¡NO RETROCEDAN!”: Criminal Groups Attack and Displace Campesino Cooperatives in the Bajo Aguán
Tocoa, Colón, Honduras. – The campesino cooperatives that make up the Agrarian Platform and the Coordinator of Popular Organizations of the Aguán (COPA in Spanish) have suffered extreme violence over the last few months. These attacks intensified during the month of January, taking the lives of three campesino leaders.
The violence has been concentrated in the Camarones, Tranvío, El Chile Cooperatives which have experienced multiple attacks and forced displacements by criminal groups. The Gregorio Chávez and Brisas del Aguán Cooperatives also suffered multiple assassinations this month. The Camarones Cooperative has been completely displaced, while the El Chile Cooperative was displaced from part of their farm. Despite this high level of violence, these campesino families remain steadfast in their struggle for land and life. Under heavy gunfire from AK-47s and AR-15s, the campesinos defended their lands, screaming “¡NO RETROCEDAN!” (DON’T RETREAT!)
The Honduran government has not taken sufficient measures to prevent, investigate, and sanction the violence against campesino cooperatives. Several Honduran social movements, international organizations, and human rights bodies, like the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), have denounced the attacks and the lack of response by authorities. On February 1st, over 70 Honduran organizations declared a State of Emergency in the Bajo Aguán, after a month full of violence.
We stand in solidarity with the campesino families of the Bajo Aguán. We strongly condemn the extreme violence against cooperatives, the lack of a forceful government response, and the misinformation spread through social media and certain news outlets.
This is not a “conflict between communities”, it is an armed attack against the organized people of the Aguán!
YES TO LAND DEFENSE, NO TO FORCED DISPLACEMENT!
Timeline of Recent Attacks
Forced Displacement of the Camarones Cooperative: On December 24th, 2024, a group of armed men known as “Los Cachos” attacked and displaced the 153 campesino families that make up the Camarones Cooperative. They threatened and shot at members of Camarones and the police, using high caliber weapons like AK-47s and AR-15s. Since that attack, “Los Cachos” have maintained control of the cooperative’s farm––from there they have launched other attacks against the adjacent Tranvío and El Chile Cooperatives.
Assassination of Arnulfo Díaz: On January 2nd, Arnulfo Díaz, a member of the Brisas del Aguán Cooperative, was assassinated by a group of armed men. Arnulfo was extremely dedicated to his family, his work, and the campesino movement. Another member of the same cooperative, Selvin Noé García was assassinated on October 17th, 2024. Both cases remain in impunity, without any progress regarding the material and intellectual authors of these crimes.
Image Description: Arnulfo Díaz (left) and Selvin García (right), assassinated members of the Brisas del Aguán Cooperative. | Photo Credits: Plataforma Agraria.
Attack from Quebrada de Arena: On January 6th, the campesino bases of the Agrarian Platform and COPA organized a protest march demanding the return of the Camarones Cooperative’s farm. During this peaceful action, supposed members of the Quebrada de Arena community attacked the campesinos with rocks, sticks, and knives––at least 25 people were injured. The leaders of the “Los Cachos” criminal group, Juan Carlos Lizama and Filimon “Cola” Escobar, live in Quebrada de Arena. They’ve used a combination of terror and social benefits to encourage members of the Quebrada de Arena community to commit violence against campesino families.
Hate and Misinformation Campaign: On January 16th, the Agrarian Platform and COPA held a press conference to denounce that, on top of the physical attacks against cooperative members who defend their lands, criminal groups have also launched a campaign of hate and misinformation on social media. They condemned that certain news outlets in Tocoa have reinforced this disinformation by describing the armed group as “campesinos”. Additionally, the Agrarian Platform and COPA applauded that the National Police had detained 13 people for possessing illegal weapons, but emphasized that dozens of criminals were able to escape.
Attacks Against the Tranvío Cooperative: After various threats, on January 27th, “Los Cachos” attacked the Tranvío Cooperative at 6:00am with high caliber weapons. They kidnapped and tortured Cristián Baire (who was freed by police from a home in Quebrada de Arena after 3 hours) and they shot and wounded Janier García––both are active members of the Tranvío Cooperative. The armed men were able to position themselves at Tranvío’s poultry farm and from there they have terrorized campesino families with constant gunfire. At the same time, a different armed group took control of the highway, trapping the families of the cooperative inside the farm. Later, the criminal group imposed a curfew in the area. It was reported that a Dinant Corporation vehicle was transporting armed men in the morning of the 27th before the attack. The Agrarian Platform had warned the National Police that an attack was imminent after armed people were seen around the Tranvío farm, but the police did nothing to prevent the violence, despite having a heavy presence in the area. On January 28th, the criminals shared threats against Tranvío on social media, warning “get the children out of there, we don’t want there to be any regrets.” On January 30th, the president of the Tranvío Cooperative, Santos Roberto Martínez, confirmed to Radio Progreso that the attacks against members of Tranvío were ongoing and that 123 families were trapped in the farm, under threat of forced displacement.
Image Description: Injured cooperative members after the January 6th attack from Quebrada de Arena. | Photo Credits: Plataforma Agraria.
Partial Displacement of the El Chile Cooperative: On January 29th, “Los Cachos” attacked the El Chile Cooperative with high caliber weapons, displacing cooperative members from part of their farm, taking control of at least 100 hectares (247 acres). A female member of the El Chile Cooperative was shot and wounded during the attack. The criminals also robbed the community store on the farm. On the same day, the Public Prosecutor’s Office issued the first arrest warrants for the armed people in the community of Quebrada de Arena.
Assassination of Two Campesino Leaders: On January 31st, José Luis Hernández Lobo and his wife, Suyapa Guillén, were assassinated. Both were active members of the Gregorio Chávez Cooperative and leaders of the campesino movement. Targeted for his land defense, José Luis Hernández was the victim of an assassination attempt in 2019. The assassination occurred right after another attack against the El Chile Cooperative by the criminal group “Los Cachos”, despite a strong police presence in the area. We stand in solidarity with the friends, family, and associates of José Luis and Suyapa and strongly condemn this vile assassination.
Latest News
Protest of CA-13 Conditions: On January 3rd, community members in Tocoa took control of the CA-13 highway to protest the lack of maintenance that has left the main road in horrible condition. The authorities responded to the protest with anti-riot police and water cannons. When criminal groups took control of the same highway and imposed a curfew three weeks later, the police did nothing to guarantee free movement on the public road.
Mobilization on the CA-13: On January 4th, the bases of the Agrarian Platform and COPA carried out a peaceful protest on the CA-13 highway to demand that President Xiomara Castro remove the criminal group that has illegally displaced the Camarones Cooperative and to fulfill the agreements she made with campesinos on February 22, 2022. They demanded that the Secretary of Security and the Supreme Court of Justice break up the criminal groups that operate with impunity in the area. They called for a thorough investigation, and the capture and punishment of those responsible for the assassinations, persecution, and forced displacement of land defenders.
2nd Anniversary of the Assassination of Ali Domínguez and Jairo Bonilla: This January 7th marked two years since the vile assassination of Ali Domínguez and Jairo Bonilla, both defenders of the Guapinol River. After two years, their cases remain in impunity and there have been more assassination of Guapinol water defenders. We ask that the Honduran State protect human rights and the people who defend them and investigate these horrific crimes. We will always remember Ali and Jairo and celebrate their lives, their fight for common goods, and their commitment to their community. Justice for all the martyrs who have died protecting the Aguán!
4 months without Juan López: January 14th marked four months since armed men took the life of Juan López––Guapinol River defender, Tocoa councilman, and member of the Municipal Committee in Defense of Common and Public Goods of Tocoa (CMDBCPT in Spanish). While commemorating the four months since his passing, Father Carlos Orellana of the Catholic Church in Tocoa condemned the vile assassination and demanded justice for the environmentalist. Although his case remains in impunity, the energy of Juan López continues to fill the environmental defense movement in the Aguán. Juan López’s fight continues!
Image Description: Guapinol River defender Juan López, assassinated for his environmental defense on Sept. 14th, 2024. | Photo Credits: Radio Progreso.
Attack Against Marco Antonio Bonilla: On January 18th, Marco Antonio Bonilla, leader of the Campesinos Without Land Movement (MCST in Spanish) in Yoro, was beaten by presumed agents of the Police Investigation Department (DPI in Spanish). During the attack, they told Marco Antonio to abandon the struggle for land and demanded that he not denounce the massive sugar corporation AZUNOSA. The campesino families organized under the MCST in the Sula Valley face extreme violence from AZUNOSA for recuperating their lands from the Agrarian Reform, in a very similar manner to the attacks suffered by campesinos in the Aguán Valley.
Solidarity from Berlin: On January 17th, activists in Berlin, Germany, showed their solidarity with the campesino families of the Aguán during the Schnippeldisko conference. They called for an end to the violence against campesinos in the Bajo Aguán and a boycott of the Dinant Corporation.
US Senator Denounces Juan López’s Assassination: On January 22nd, US Senator Peter Welch denounced the extreme violence that land and water defenders suffer in Honduras. He condemned the assassinations of Berta Cáceres and Juan López, demanding justice for both cases and denouncing the corrupting and impunity that persist in the Honduran judicial system.
CELAM Visits Guapinol: At the end of January, the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM in Spanish) visited the Guapinol community during an advocacy and solidarity delegation. They called for justice for Juan López, an end to the agrarian and socio-environmental conflict in the Bajo Aguán, and protections for social leaders in Honduras.
Pinares-ECOTEK Court Cases: On January 29th, three hearings were held related to the illegal exploitation and environmental damage in the Carlos Escaleras National Park, which was caused by the extractivist Pinares-ECOTEK mining project run by Grupo EMCO. The CMDBCPT denounced that these court cases have been highly selective, focused on low-level figures. Only 9 of the 13 defendants have presented themselves before the Court––all are employees or low-ranking officials. The president of Grupo EMCO, Lenir Pérez, and 3 managers for the company (Víctor Bernárdez, Manaces Padilla, and Douglas Alvarenga) are still fugitives from justice.
Image Description: Destruction caused by the suspended Los Pinares Mine in Carlos Escaleras National Park (left); The ECOTEK iron-oxide processing plant in the Guapinol Community (right). | Photo Credits: CATRA Team.
Member of Remolino Cooperative Still Missing
January 30th marked one year since Abel López Perdomo was disappeared––a year without answers, without a thorough investigation to establish his whereabouts, and without the prosecution of the people responsible for this horrific crime.
We stand in solidarity with the friends, family, and associates of Abel López and condemn his continued disappearance.
Historical Context
In the 1990’s, World Bank-led structural adjustment measures transformed the Bajo Aguán region of north-east Honduras from one of the nation’s primary sources of fruits, vegetables and basic grains into an African palm oil monoculture destined for export to insatiable Global North markets. Over the course of this process, thousands of campesinos were dispossessed of their farms to make way for massive palm plantations, owned by a handful of Honduran elite.
Since then, campesino cooperatives have engaged in a multi-decade struggle to recover their land, suffering violent repression by corporate and state entities as a result. The immediate post-coup period was especially brutal, taking the lives of approximately 150 small farmers by 2014. In recent years, many more have been murdered, disappeared, and criminalized. The vast majority of these crimes remain in impunity.