Suspects arrested in the murder of Honduran environmentalist Juan López

The alleged murderer of environmentalist Juan López, who denounced pollution from an open-pit iron oxide mine in a nature reserve in Honduras, was caught this Friday along with an accomplice, authorities reported. The 46-year-old activist was shot dead on the night of September 14 after leaving a Catholic church in Tocoa, 220 km northeast of the capital Tegucigalpa, where he also served as a councilor. The crime was condemned by the UN and Pope Francis.

“We have caught the material perpetrator of the death of the environmentalist Juan López. In addition, an accomplice was arrested,” wrote Security Minister Gustavo Sánchez on the Global Witness social network.

Attorney General Johel Zelaya stated on “López was a staunch opponent of open-pit mining and denounced damage to the Botaderos Forest Reserve, the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers, and other water sources in the Tocoa area.

Minister Sánchez stated that “the motorcycle with which the crime was committed has been confiscated” and assured that “the investigation is supported by technical and scientific evidence,” including the review of over a hundred videos. “Further raids will be conducted to make another arrest,” he added, without giving details.

Hours later, the director of the National Police, Juan Manuel Aguilar, announced at a press conference that those arrested were Oscar Alexis Guardado Alvarenga, 27, and Lenin Adony Cruz Munguía, 30.

Days before his murder, the environmentalist had called for the resignation of Tocoa Mayor Adán Funez after a video emerged showing him negotiating bribes with drug traffickers in 2013. This caused a scandal in the country when Carlos Zelaya, President Xiomara Castro's brother-in-law also appeared in the video.

The mayor denied any responsibility for the murder of the environmentalist, who had been ordered under precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) since October 2023 due to threats against him and other environmentalists in Tocoa.

In November 2021, López spoke in an interview about the risks that environmental activists face in Honduras: “If you get involved in this country to defend commons.” […] They clash with major interests,” he said.