IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 717 
Honoring Juan Lo´pez, a Honduran Catholic leader and human rights advo-
cate murdered in the Tocoa municipality of the Bajo Agua´n region 
of Honduras and commemorating one year since his assassination. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 
Mrs. RAMIREZ (for herself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. GARCI´A 
of Illinois, Mr. CASAR, and Ms. OMAR) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring Juan Lo´pez, a Honduran Catholic leader and 
human rights advocate murdered in the Tocoa munici-
pality of the Bajo Agua´n region of Honduras and com-
memorating one year since his assassination. 
Whereas Juan Lo´pez was a courageous defender of human 
rights, a community leader in the department of Colo´n 
and Honduras, and an environmental activist; 
Whereas Lo´pez was a spiritual leader to many, a well re-
spected individual within the Catholic Church, and an 
aide to the bishop of the local Catholic diocese; 
Whereas, in 2019, Lo´pez won the Letelier-Moffitt Human 
Rights Award; 
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•HRES 717 IH 
Whereas Lo´pez was recognized as ‘‘a well-known and re-
spected environmental defender’’ in the Country Reports 
on Human Rights Practices for 2024 published by the 
State Department; 
Whereas, as a leader of the Comite´ Municipal de Defensa de 
los Bienes Comunes y Pu´blicos, Lo´pez opposed corrup-
tion and impunity and defended the land, and the land 
rights, of the people of the Bajo Agua´n region; 
Whereas Lo´pez was a victim of wrongful imprisonment and 
false prosecution, having spoken out against corrupt gov-
ernment officials of the Tocoa municipality of such re-
gion; 
Whereas, on September 14, 2024, Lo´pez was brutally assas-
sinated by two men on a motorcycle, who shot Lo´pez 
multiple times as he was leaving a chapel immediately 
after leading a prayer service; 
Whereas Juan Lo´pez was assassinated days after publicly 
calling for the resignation of Ada´n Fu´nez, the mayor of 
Tocoa, following the publication of a video in which 
Fu´nez and the brother-in-law of the President of Hon-
duras discussed bribes with Honduran drug traffickers, 
some of whom have since been extradited and tried in the 
United States; 
Whereas, although three individuals have been charged in 
connection with the killing of Lo´pez, no charges have 
been levied against the masterminds behind the crime; 
Whereas preliminary hearings relating to the assassination of 
Juan Lo´pez have been postponed multiple times, and the 
investigation of additional conspirators continues; 
Whereas land defenders and environmental activists within 
the communities of the Guapinol, Tocoa, and other mu-
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•HRES 717 IH 
nicipalities in the Bajo Agua´n region of Honduras, the 
majority of whom are women, endure recurring threats, 
attacks, arbitrary arrests, and assassinations; 
Whereas, among such defenders and activists, the defenders 
of the Botaderos Mountain, Carlos Escaleras Mejı´a Na-
tional Park in Honduras have been subjected to per-
sistent harassment, criminalization, and assassination; 
Whereas 6 other members of the Guapinol water defenders 
have been assassinated; 
Whereas such assassinations and other crimes are intended 
to intimidate and silence those who oppose the operation 
of an open-pit iron oxide mine in the Botaderos Mountain 
and the project commonly referred to as the ‘‘Ecotek 
Thermoelectric Project’’, which threaten the livelihoods of 
local communities and the environment of such region; 
Whereas, despite Honduran prosecutors formally accusing 
company leaders and local government officials connected 
to such open-pit iron oxide mine of illegally exploiting re-
sources, abusing authority, and committing ‘‘environ-
mental crimes’’ by mining in the national reserve, individ-
uals residing in the area allege the mining has continued; 
Whereas, in October 2023, the Inter-American Commission 
on Human Rights issued precautionary measures for 
Juan Lo´pez and others, to insist that the Government of 
Honduras protect individuals who are at severe and ur-
gent risk of irreparable harm to their rights to life and 
safety; 
Whereas the Government of Honduras made insufficient 
progress in implementing effective protective measures to 
save the life of Juan Lo´pez and to protect communities 
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•HRES 717 IH 
and advocates in the Bajo Agua´n region of Honduras; 
and 
Whereas the people of such region should not have to live in 
fear of powerful companies and corrupt government offi-
cials stealing their land, polluting their rivers, and mur-
dering courageous leaders, such as Juan Lo´pez and 
Berta Ca´ceres, for peacefully defending the natural re-
sources that are rightfully theirs: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) honors the life and legacy of Juan Lo´pez; 
(2) grieves with his family and all those who 
loved him; 
(3) affirms its support for the establishment 
of— 
(A) a new commission against corruption 
and impunity within the Government of Hon-
duras; and 
(B) an international commission to provide 
technical assistance (including scientific assist-
ance) for the investigation into the criminal 
masterminds behind the murder of Juan Lo´pez 
and related judicial proceedings; 
(4) commends the efforts of the Guapinol water 
defenders and all those who struggle to protect the 
land, environment, and communities in the Bajo 
Agua´n region threatened by corrupt interests; 
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•HRES 717 IH 
(5) affirms its commitment to remembering the 
enduring legacy of Juan Lo´pez and ensuring the 
Honduran people can live without fear of powerful 
companies and corrupt government officials stealing 
their land, polluting their rivers, and murdering cou-
rageous leaders for peacefully defending natural re-
sources; and 
(6) calls on the United States Government to— 
(A) work in solidarity with the people of 
Honduras to build a more secure, democratic, 
and prosperous country and expand opportuni-
ties for all Hondurans to live safe and fulfilling 
lives; and 
(B) increase engagement with, and support 
for, communities in Honduras on the front lines 
of defending human rights and democracy for 
all, to ensure their voices and recommendations 
inform any United States decision or action re-
lated to Honduras. 
Æ 
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