Catholic leaders in the Americas are mourning the loss of Juan Antonio López, an environmental activist and local Catholic leader in Honduras. López was shot dead by several men outside a church in Tocoa, northeastern Honduras, after receiving threats from a gang member, a businessperson, and a mining company representative.
López was a member of the Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods in Tocoa and had been advocating against the harmful impacts of an iron oxide mine. His group protested the pollution of rivers that local communities depend on for their water supply.
Bishop Jenry Ruiz of the Diocese of Trujillo honored López’s commitment to environmental, social, and political causes as an embodiment of his faith. The bishop highlighted the risks López faced in challenging extractivist and mining systems that harm the environment.
The Honduran Jesuits, along with other Catholic organizations, blamed the government for López’s death, citing a failure to protect activists and investigate threats. They called for an impartial international commission to uncover the truth and hold responsible those behind the killing.
López’s death adds to the list of environmental activists killed in Honduras, a country with high rates of violence against defenders of land and natural resources. International organizations have expressed concern over the ongoing threats faced by activists in the region.
The Sisters of Mercy in the U.S. have supported the Guapinol River activists and condemned the violence and corruption that drive migration from Honduras to the United States. They advocate for the right of Hondurans to live safely in their own country without facing forced displacement.
