Honduras did not experience civil war in the 1980s, but its geography (bordering El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) made it a key location for US military operations: training Salvadoran soldiers, a base for Nicaraguan contras, military exercises for US troops. The notorious Honduran death squad Battalion 316 was created, funded and trained by the US. The state-sponsored terror resulted in the forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of approximately 200 people during the 1980s. Many more were abducted and tortured. The 2009 military coup d’etat spawned a resurgence of state repression against the civilian population that continues today. Join us for an evening of music, dance, appetizers and refreshments at IRTF’s annual Latin Dance on Saturday, June 13th! This event is a celebration of culture and solidarity, featuring talented dance instructers, delicious food, joyful movement, and connection with others (no partner needed)!
For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, see http://tiny.cc/latindance.
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Last month, approximately 300 students at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) in Tegucigalpa gathered to protest proposed reductions to the university budget and to demand compliance with the constitutional mandate guaranteeing funding for public higher education. During the protest, police forces deployed tear gas, armored vehicles, and rubber bullets against demonstrators. As a result of this repression, at least one student suffered severe injuries, including the loss of an eye.
Witness accounts indicate that the protest began as a peaceful demonstration and that students were exercising their legitimate democratic right to advocate for the protection of public education. Instead of facilitating and safeguarding this constitutional right, authorities responded with disproportionate force that endangered the lives and safety of young people.
The violent response to these demonstrations reflects a broader pattern in which public dissent is met not with dialogue, but with intimidation and violence. The right to education and the right to peaceful protest are fundamental pillars of any democratic society, and attempts to silence students through force undermine both democratic participation and public trust in state institutions.
BBC reviews their interviews with the recently (under scandalous contions) pardoned, former Honduran President JOH Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Honduran authorities arrested former mayor Adán Fúnez and two others for allegedly masterminding the 2024 assassination of environmental activist Juan López, a prominent opponent of a controversial mining project. The case highlights ongoing violence against environmental defenders in Honduras, where activism remains highly dangerous amid corruption, impunity, and conflicts over natural resources.
Honduras’s November 30 general elections took place in a highly polarized environment marked by institutional weaknesses, technical failures, foreign interference, and low public trust. Although reforms since 2021 improved the electoral framework, partisan divisions caused gridlock and delays in key decisions.
Technical problems—especially with the results transmission system—produced irregular data and inconsistencies, fueling fraud claims and a contentious, incomplete recount process. At the same time, public interventions by US political figures, including Donald Trump, added external pressure that may have influenced voters.
A CEPR observation mission found no evidence of fraud in the presidential vote but could not fully assess the impact of data irregularities due to limited access. Nasry Asfura was declared the winner by a narrow margin before all disputed ballots were reviewed, returning the National Party to power after a controversial post-2009 period marked by corruption and human rights abuses.
Civil society has raised concerns about a possible resurgence of authoritarian practices, especially amid recent contested removals of electoral officials by Congress.
While the electoral system of Honduras has improved from the infastructure prior to 2021, there are still many issues faced today. The November 30th elections were plagued with technical difficulties that led to data irregularites and speculations of fraud. The influence of US Republican lawmakers and politicians was also evident as many of them posted allegations of fraud of LIBRE and anti-democratic plans of Castro and Moncada: none of these allegations were supported with evidence. Surrounding the election, a mission sent by the Center for Economic and Policy Research conducted research in which they did not find evidence supporting election fraud. In the end, Nasry Afsura of the National party, who is said will bring back corruption and violence within the administration, was elected.
A leaked audio recording points to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, Javier Milei, and Donald Trump as attempting to create a platform to spread fake news about the administrations of Claudia Sheinbaum, Lula, and Gustavo Petro
To expand its gold mining operations in Copán Department, MINOSA (a Honduran subsidiary of US-based Aura Minerals) began deforestation of the Cerro Los Hornillos mountain, a site of sacred and historical significance to the local Maya Chortí Indigenous community, in July 2025. Community members questioned the authority under which the company was operating and denounced MINOSA for failing to consult affected peoples prior to initiating work in the area. They expressed concern that the destruction of Cerro Los Hornillos could affect the geological integrity of the mountain area and vital waterways. So to protect the well-being of the environmental and the health of the community, in September 2025 residents installed a peaceful encampment at the foot of the mountain to block any expansion of gold mining into the Cerro Los Hornillos.
The corporation has the office of the public prosecutor and other state law enforcement on its side. On February 12, to help MINOSA expand its mining operations (even though it did not have express permission from neither the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment nor the Honduras Institute for Geology and Mining), the Honduran military arrived at Cerro Los Hornillos to assist MINOSA in its deforestation by holding back the encampment of environmental defenders. On February 24, six encampment defenders had to appear at a court arraignment on charges of usurpation (illegal trespass/occupation). On May 5, they would appear in court again as a judge determines whether the public prosecutor has enough evidence to move the case forward.
Despite the severe social and environmental risks that this project poses, MINOSA is moving towards exploitation without any sign of institutional oversight.
Audio recordings published by Spain’s Canal RED suggest that US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are allegedly working to facilitate the return of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to power. The media outlet published alleged audio recordings in which Hernandez, current President Nasry Asfura and a group of Honduran officials are heard discussing in detail a supposed operation driven by the US and financed by Israel to weave a network of corruption in Honduras, with the aim of turning the Central American country into a US investment hub.
Recent elections in Honduras have returned right-wing leadership to power, with immediate implications for the autonomy of Indigenous communities.
