Solidarity travels to Honduras after father’s killing
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Naomi Bernaldez, a campaigner with Amnesty International, and colleagues travelled to Honduras to deliver over 15,000 letters of support to the family of Juan López, a human rights defender killed in September 2024.
López, a father and husband, worked with his community in Tocoa to protect rivers, forests, and a national park from damaging mining and energy projects.
His activism led to threats and attacks against him and other members of the Tocoa Municipal Committee for the Defence of Common and Public Goods. Amnesty International launched a “Write for Rights” campaign following López’s death, resulting in 332,381 actions worldwide. Bernaldez carried a selection of the 15,000 letters to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and presented them to López’s family, fellow activists, and their legal representatives at the Justice for the Peoples Law Firm.
Bernaldez created a collage from fragments of the letters to visually represent the widespread support. She observed that while each letter was individual, they all expressed a shared desire to stand with López’s family and honour his legacy. The delivery of the letters and the installation of a mural commemorating López’s work created a powerful moment of connection and reinforced the importance of collective action.
Justice for López remains outstanding, and advocates continue to call for a thorough investigation into his killing and prosecution of those responsible.
