The anti-corruption group Global Witness says the economic elites of Honduras have conducted a campaign of terror against environmentalists and indigenous communities without fear of interference from the government.

The international community sat on its collective thumbs during the 2009 coup d'etat that ousted democratically-elected president Manuel Zelaya for the unforgivable sin of realigning his politics from the right to the Left.  Since the coup, at least 123 environmental activists have been murdered in the country, and many of them were members of indigenous communities.  Successive right-wing governments have watered down environmental regulations, and environmentally destructive mining, agribusiness, tourism, and energy projects have become the cornerstone of the country's economic growth strategy.

Global Witness's report "Honduras: The Deadliest Place to Defend the Planet" alleges that conflicts of interest abound:  The husband of the vice president of congress Gladis Aurora Lopez controls a major hydroelectric project where three indigenous activists have been tortured and murdered, and two pregnant women were severely beaten.  One of the women miscarried as a result.  The couple denies any wrongdoing. 

A company linked to the theft of US$350 Million from the country's Social Security system also owns Honduras' flagship beach and golf resort, which in turn is linked to a wave of violence against and attempted illegal land grabs from the indigenous group next door.  Some of the Social Security money was laundered through the resort.

The highest profile killing was last year's murder of Goldman Prize-winning activist Berta Caceres, who campaigned against the internationally funded Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque river.  Her murder brought international attention, but didn't stop the violence.  Two of her associates have since been killed.

Global Witness revealed internal documents from the company building the dam, Desarrollos Energeticos (Desa); the company's board of directors includes influential political, military and business leaders.  The suspects in the murder of Berta Caceres were linked to Desa and the military, and before her murder, Caceres told Global Witness that the company tried to bribe her to end her opposition to the dam. 

"Our investigations reveal how Honduras' political and business elites are using corrupt and criminal means to cash in on the country's natural wealth, and are enlisting the support of state forces to murder and terrorize the communities who dare to stand in their way," said Billy Kyte from Global Witness.  "As Honduras' biggest aid donor, the US should help bring an end to the bloody crackdown on Honduras' rural population.  Instead it is bankrolling Honduran state forces, which are behind some of the worst attacks."