Honduras: Another Environmentalist Shot Dead; Latest Victim Is the Brother of Another Murdered Environmentalist

By Rick Martin Jun 16 2023, 01:28 AM EDT

Just six months after his environmental activist brother was killed in Honduras, Oquelí Domínguez was shot to death by two men riding on a motorcycle. His brother was killed in a similar way.

Oqueli was the elder of the two Dominguez brothers killed, and he was shot at his family's home in Tocoa, located in northern Honduras. The deadly attack on the environmental activist was confirmed by his brother, Reynaldo Dominguez, as well as the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods, which is a local environmental organization.

The eldest brother, Reynaldo Dominguez, stated that local police are now seemingly steering the investigation toward a possible robbery. However, he says that this is untrue. "In my house there's nothing of value. The event was aimed at my brother, because they separated the rest of the family," said the surviving brother.

Oquelí Domínguez and his late brother, Aly, have been protesting against the iron oxide mining in the nearby Carlos Escaleras National Park. All three brothers were notable environmental activists in the area, according to the Associated Press.

The brothers, along with other local environmental activists, have long pointed out that the mining operations have been causing damage to the nearby Guapinol and San Pedro rivers. These protests and legal actions have killed several environmentalists, including two of the Dominguez brothers.

Environmental Activists Claim Local Authorities Colluding With Mining Operators in Honduras

Aly Dominguez and fellow environmental activist Jairo Bonilla were killed in January of this year. They were riding a motorcycle between La Concepcion and Guapinol before they were shot to death.

Their deaths led to global outrage and condemnation, with even the United Nations asking for answers to why they died. However, as the Associated Press pointed out, the eldest Dominguez brother, Reynaldo, stated that local authorities may be colluding with the mining company.

"To date, they haven't done anything. The investigations don't advance because the authorities of Tocoa are colluding with the mining company that exploits the national park," said Reynaldo Dominguez. He also pointed out that Aly and Bonilla were not robbed, as the attackers did not take their cellphones, motorcycle, and money.

Kelvin Romero, another Honduran environmentalist, admitted they have been getting death threats and other threatening messages.

"So for us here, the judiciary and the authorities ignore despite the fact that we have protective measures for human rights defenders," he added.

Honduras Has Been Among the Deadliest Countries for Environmentalists

Honduras is infamous for having rampant inequality, a weak judicial system, cozy relationships between political and business elites, and authorities acting with impunity. These factors have helped the country become a deadly place for environmentalists.

According to The Guardian, British NGO Global Witness released a report that crimes against human rights defenders have increased in Honduras, with 101 environmentalists being killed from 2010 to 2014. One of the most high-profile deaths happened in 2016 when a well-known activist named Bertha Isabel Zuniga Caceres was assassinated.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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