Honduras Now Podcast

The important trial against David Castillo, one of the accused co-authors of indigenous activist Berta Cáceres' murder, is underway in Honduras. Before her murder, Cáceres faced several attempts to silence her resistance. Many of the same repressive tactics used against Cáceres - criminalization, imprisonment, threats, and murder - are still employed regularly against land defenders, human rights activists, lawyers, journalists, women, and several other targeted groups in the country. Karen provides an overview of what these strategies are and what impact they have on the people that experience them.

** Correction: Berta Cáceres won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015, NOT in 2016 as stated in the podcast

Check out the show notes at: hondurasnow.org and follow us on Instagram: @hondurasnow

For daily summaries about the trial against David Castillo, see: aquiabajo.com/blog

Thanks for listening!

Drones, walls, extreme surveillance, racism, and tension are some of the things you will experience when near the US-Mexico border. How have border walls become the solution to a crisis that isn't really a crisis but a human-made US policy problem that must be fixed? 

Today, we speak with author and independent journalist Todd Miller, who recently published a book called "Build bridges, not walls: A journey to a world without borders." With over a decade of research, conversations, and visits to many border walls around the world, Todd Miller explains the impacts of a border mentality and how we can create the conditions for a world without borders. 

To buy Todd Miller's book: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100678920

Follow Todd Miller on Twitter: @memomiller or website: toddmillerwriter.com

Check out the podcast's show notes at: hondurasnow.org

Follow us on Instagram: @hondurasnow

On March 14th, Hondurans went to the polls to vote in the 2021 primary elections. Host Karen Spring interviews Honduran sociologist and political analyst, Tomas Andino Mencía about the primaries and discusses what they mean in the context of the Honduran narco-state, migration, and the general electoral political reality in the country. If all continues as is, will Honduras see another political crisis this year? 

For more information about elections in Honduras, see the National Electoral Council (CNE's) website: www.cne.hn

For the show notes from today's episode and links to articles further analyzing the elections, see: hondurasnow.org

For updates and more stories from Honduras, follow us on Instagram: @HondurasNow

On February 6, 2021, 26-year old Keyla Martinez was detained by Honduran police. The next day, the police claimed that Keyla had hung herself inside the detention cell in the police station where she was being held.

The case quickly became a national scandal. Conflicting evidence surfaced that calls into question the version of the Honduran police.

In this episode of the podcast, we hear interviews with Keyla's family who are fighting for justice and learn about the failed U.S.-funded efforts to "clean-up" the Honduran police force.

Check out the show notes at: hondurasnow.org

Follow us on Instagram for regular stories about daily activities and events in Honduras: @hondurasnow

Berta Cáceres is one of the most well-known Honduran activists. She was murdered in her home almost 5 years ago on March 2, 2016.

The legal case against David Castillo, one of the accused masterminds of Berta Cáceres’s murder keeps being postponed. To date, no other intellectual authors have been accused or arrested despite sufficient evidence outlining the involvement of powerful Honduran businessmen invested in the Agua Zarca dam, in Berta’s murder. This is “justice” in Honduras, even for cases as emblematic as the cases surrounding the murder of well known indigenous activist, Berta Cáceres. 

But who is Roberto David Castillo Mejía? How is Castillo’s defense arguing his case? What is the strategy behind all the delay tactics to avoid the trial process against Castillo? 

We hear from Berta Zúniga Cáceres, Berta’s second oldest daughter and the General Coordinator of the Civic Council for Popular and Indigenous Organizations in Honduras (COPINH) & Victor Fernandez, the lead lawyer representing COPINH & Berta’s family. 

JUSTICE FOR BERTA CÁCERES! 

For more information and in-depth examination of David Castillo & his business interests: https://soaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Violence-Corruption-Impunity-A-Profile-of-Roberto-David-Castillo.pdf

For the report from the international team of experts accompanying the case: https://gaipe.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/GAIPE-Report-English.pdf

Follow us on Instagram for more stories & updates from Honduras: @hondurasnow

Show notes will be posted at: hondurasnow.org

On January 15, another migrant or refugee caravan left Honduras for the US-Mexico border. We speak with Honduran migrant rights activist, Bartolo Fuentes and independent journalist Sandra Cuffe about how the caravans form, why so many people are fleeing, how the caravans was stopped from advancing beyond Guatemala, and how U.S. President Biden's first few days in office have or have not impacted migration issues in Honduras.

Show notes at: hondurasnow.org. Follow us on Instagram @hondurasnow

In December 2020, the 8 imprisoned water defenders from the community of Guapinol and San Pedro sector, were granted an important bail hearing. The Municipal Committee for the Defense of Public and Common Goods and allies gathered outside the courthouse in Tocoa, Colon to demand their immediate freedom.

The Guapinol water conflict has been going on for over 2.5 years. The water defenders have been imprisoned for over 500 days on trumped up charges. They are being held in pre-trial detention for defending their community's water source.

We hear from one of the criminalized water and human rights defenders and members of the legal team. They describe the interests behind the Guapinol conflict including the US company backing the Honduran companies that are behind the mining operation. This episode describes the origins and background of the conflict and the difficulties of securing the release of the imprisoned water defenders under the dictatorship.

For more information about the Guapinol water conflict: www.guapinolresiste.org or Twitter @guapinolre

Show notes with further links and information posted at: hondurasnow.org

Join us to demand freedom for the 8 imprisoned water defenders!

Honduras was hit by two hurricanes - Eta and Iota - in less than two weeks. The hurricanes and the continuous rains since, have caused tremendous economic and human loss.

Host Karen Spring provides an overview of the estimated damage and shares an interview conducted with freelance journalist Jose Luis Granados Ceja. Karen and Luis discuss the past and current political context that not only undermines rescue and rebuilding efforts but also increases the vulnerability of Hondura's poor to the global impacts of climate change. They also discuss how the hurricanes may affect migration push factors and the possibilities of change in Honduras.

Hurricane Eta has devastated large parts of Honduras's most populated regions. Even before making landfall in Nicaragua on November 3, 2020, rivers around the country began spilling over forcing thousands of people to flee their homes to escape the catastrophic flooding.

Host Karen Spring shares an interview with one man about his experiences rescuing people by boat the days during and after the peak of the disaster. It's now over a week later and some Hondurans are still on their rooftops waiting to be rescued. So much of the rescuing and disaster relief is being done by Honduras. With the government largely absent, Hondurans are emphasizing that "only the people, save the people".

In 2019, the Trump administration announced the "America Crece" or the "Growth in the Americas" plan for Latin America.

Just days away from the US election, Honduras Now podcast host Karen Spring speaks with freelance journalist, Jeff Abbott who investigated the "America Crece" program. They discuss how these regional neoliberal development plans have bipartisan support in the US and are unlikely to change regardless of who wins the US elections. Karen and Jeff also delve into the investment plan's intentions to counteract Chinese investment in the region; the damaging nature of neoliberal investments like hydroelectric projects on Central American communities, and the total failure of the plan to address the reasons why Central Americans migrate north.