Last Update: 10:00 pm, January 28, 2022
Main Points of the Day
- Today, the defense presented a witness, Juana Esquivel, a human rights defender and the director of the Fundación San Alonso. Esquival testified about the struggle to protect the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers, the purpose of the peaceful encampment, and the environmental damage and violence that Inversiones Los Pinares was creating in the communities. She talked about the violent groups created by the mining company that threatened community members and created a conflictive environment, particularly for individuals speaking out against the mine. Esquival also testified extensively about all the actions taken by the affected communities and organizations to denounce the environmental damage, demand an investigation, organize a town hall consultation about the project, and the selective and corrupt manner that the justice system and prosecutor’s office have operated. The defense also presented six documents related to the illegality of the mining concession and environmental license granted to Inversiones Los Pinares. Some were official documents from Honduran institutions in charge of protecting the national park indicating that the mining operation is not feasible inside a protected area; that mining would impact the flora and fauna; that the environmental license for the project should rejected based on the damage the mine could cause; and that the boundaries of the national park were modified to permit illegal mining operations.
- The trial will be reconvened on Tuesday, February 1 after a request by the prosecutors for more time to prepare concluding remarks. It is believed that the trial could be further delayed in a malicious manner to prolong the detention of the water defenders. At the moment, the trial is reconvened for Tuesday, February 1st at 9 am but some suspect it could be changed for a later date.
