NOTE: The monthly news round-up from October-November 2023 contains most of the news from the month of November. This month’s summary is shorter than normal as a result.
U.S. Senators and Congressional Reps and Office of Vice President visit Honduras
During the week of December 7th, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations SubCommittee on the Western Hemisphere, led a delegation to Guatemala and Honduras. Senator Kaine was accompanied by Senators Durbin, Merkley, Welch, Butler and Congress representatives Delia Ramirez and Norma Torres. In Honduras, the delegation met with President Castro, the President of the Congress, Luis Redondo, the business lobby, COHEP, amongst others. Topics of interest include “democracy, stability, migration, economic growth, security” and corruption.
At the end of November, representatives of the Office of the Vice President Kamala Harris, and the National Security Council visited Honduras. The U.S. Ambassador Dogu tweeted: “A warm welcome to our visitors from the Office of the Vice President and the National Security Council here in Honduras! We’re looking forward to speaking with 🇭🇳 civil society & private sector partners today about how we can expand upon the successes of #CAForward 🇺🇸🤝🇭🇳”
Denouncing the Intervention of the U.S. Embassy
The Convergence Against Re-election writes: “we need an international instrument that, like the CICIH, guarantees processes to fight corruption of powerful criminal networks. However, the more fragile we are, the more we need respect for our sovereignty and self-determination. Principles that the government of the United States of America is undoubtedly not respecting through statements and interventions of Ambassador Laura Dogu with her obvious interference in matters that are ours. The State and the government of Honduras must accept suggestions, recommendations, and support, and all of them must be welcome, as long as they are not impositions and blackmail, as is evident in the case of the U.S. Ambassador. This is especially an insult when we are celebrating 200 years of the Monroe Doctrine, which is based on the fact that countries like ours must be subject to the dictates of the empire of the North.
Two leaders of National Party Charged.
On November 28, the same day that the President of the National Party, David Chávez fled the Palmerola airport as authorities attempted to take him in for questioning (see October-November news round-up), Chávez was charged with fraud and violation of duties as a public official. The charges stem from a 2016 complaint filed against Chavez and others for corruption inside the National Institute for Professional Formation (INFOP), when Chavez was the Director. The day before Chavez attempted to flee Honduras for the United States, the National Party convened a press conference to announce that the prosecutor’s office was going to charge Chávez for insulting President Castro and denounced the charges as political persecution. Chavez’s whereabouts are currently unknown. He was last seen fleeing the Palmerola airport.
https://www.laprensa.hn/honduras/david-chavez-caso-corrupcion-infop-orden-captura-DB16420571
https://www.elheraldo.hn/honduras/david-chavez-caso-infop-jamas-hemos-recibido-un-centavo-IK16491559
Congress representative and National Party leader, Mario Pérez was formally accused of threatening a Congressional security guard on October 31, 2023 (see Legislative crisis in October-November 2023 round-up). He is set to appear before a judge on December 12 in a hearing that will determine whether he will be detained pending his initial hearing.
Honduran detectives charged & arrested.
Five Honduran detectives working with the Unit for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (DLCN, the Honduran equivalent of the U.S. DEA) were accused and arrested for criminal association and stealing firearms from the DLCN’s evidence room. According to the Pro-Honduras Network, the stolen firearms were used to kill Said Lobo, the son of former President Porfirio Lobo. The incident has deep ties to criminal structures inside the DLCN and other investigative and judicial bodies in Honduras.
Vice Minister of Security Attacked for Accusing Police of Involvement in Prison Massacre
Vice Minister of Security Julissa Villanueva denounced that Honduran police are responsible for June 2023 massacre of 46 women in Tamara prison. The bullets found at the crime scene were assigned to police & made by an Israeli company. Villanueva has since faced threats and suffered an assassination attempt.
https://tiempo.hn/pn-responde-villanueva-gobierno-anterior-compro-armas-no-estan-en-inventario/
Former Prosecutor Arrested
Former prosecutor Francia Sofía Medina has been accused of stealing over $3.4 million from the Honduran Central Bank through mechanisms believed to have been supported by a broader structure of individuals working together to commit the crime. Medina is currently in pre-trial detention and over 36 of her properties/assets were confiscated by authorities.
The Law Firm for Studies for Dignity announces: “The special prosecutor for the protection of ethnic & cultural patrimony presents an indictment against Santiago Londoño, a U.S. mining investor for sexual harassment against an Indigenous Tolupán girl.” The law firm also call son the U.S. Embassy to stop supporting companies that violate rights: ““We call on the U.S. Embassy to not support U.S. citizens, companies & structures that come to Honduras to commit crimes disguised as economic initiatives that result in rights violations & aggressions against Indigenous women & girls.”
Attacks Against Women Human Rights Defenders
In late November, the National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders published a preliminary report outlining aggressions against women defenders in the month of October 2023. 246 reports of aggressions were received by the organization with 80% being against land and territorial defenders.
OFRANEH awarded the Business and Human Rights Award
On November 28, the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) was awarded the Business and Human Rights Award during the annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva.
ZEDE Próspera employees interrupt community meeting
On December 8, Honduran government officials (the ZEDE Commissioner Fernando Garcia, the head of the tax institution (SAR), Marlon Ochoa and others), organizations, and the community of Crawfish Rock celebrated a community assembly to discuss the violations caused by ZEDE Próspera and defend national and community sovereignty. The event was interrupted by employees and individuals with ties to ZEDE Próspera causing physical attacks against leaders and community members, including elected community leader Vanessa Cárdenas. That say day, a video circulated of ZEDE Prospera’s President Erick Brimen encouraging employees to infiltrate the assembly in the days leading up to the event. ZEDE Próspera’s powerful public relations campaign continues to promote the ZEDEs and false narratives about the benefits that the ZEDE will bring to Honduras.
Replacements in the military
President Xiomara Castro named José Jorge Fortín as the Vice Minister of Defense substituting controversial (now ex) Vice Minister Elías Melgar, believed to be tied to drug trafficking and military operations and assassinations of campesinos in the Aguán Valley. Fortín takes over the position on December 21, 2023.
Guapinol and criminalization of land defenders
On December 9th, residents of the municipality of Tocoa were convened to participate in a townhall meeting (cabildo abierto) to vote whether they are in agreement with a petroleum coke thermoelectric energy generation project proposed for the municipality. The project is owned by Honduran businessman and woman, Lenir Pérez and Ana Facussé, owners of the company EMCO (tied to U.S. steel company, Nucor Corporation). The Municipal Environmental Committee that led the opposition against Pérez’s iron ore mine claim that the thermoelectric energy project receives significant support from the local LIBRE mayor and governor Adán Funes (also mentioned in U.S. courts as being involved in drug trafficking), and the Minister of the Environmental and Natural Resources (SERNA), Lucky Medina.
Throughout the day, the Municipal Committee’s communication team released several alerts advising the public of suspicious behaviours of individuals with ties to EMCO, Pérez, and the municipality of Tocoa. One of the alerts advised the public that EMCO had bussed in individuals with no knowledge of the topic of the meeting. The individuals were wearing blue bracelets and were told to follow the orders of an EMCO employee. Later, it was reported in the Honduran press that employees linked to EMCO had attempted to take over the school where the townhall meeting was to take place but were evicted by the local police before the meeting began.
When the LIBRE mayor did not show up to the townhall meeting, local residents decided to go ahead without him in the presence of at least six municipal council members. The residents of the municipality of Tocoa voted NO to the thermoenergy project in their territory.
The Legal firm for Justice for the People (Bufete Justicia Para Los Pueblos) denounces the arrest of two Lenca indigenous land defenders by Honduran police on December 9th. The individuals are from the community of Potrerillos, Comayagua and are charged with illegal possession of land.
Intellectual Author of Berta’s Murder Formally Accused
“An indictment against Daniel Atala was presented for his involvement in the crime against Berta Cáceres. COPINH and Berta’s family hope that this is not just a media stunt, and that the Attorney General’s office fulfills its responsibility in proving Atala’s participation [in the crime].” On December 1, COPINH welcomes the news of an indictment against Daniel Atala Midence, a member of the Atala Zablah family, one of the wealthiest families in Honduras. Atala Midence was the Financial Manager of DESA and one of the intellectual authors of Berta’s murder. During the trial of David Castillo, Atala Midence was called to testify but pleaded the Honduran version of the fifth claiming that he was under investigation.