Tragedy struck in northern Honduras on Thursday with the killing of environmental activist Oquelí Domínguez. Unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle shot Domínguez at his family's home in Tocoa, according to his older brother, Reynaldo Domínguez. This incident follows a disturbing pattern, as Oquelí's younger brother, Aly Domínguez, and fellow activist Jairo Bonilla were murdered in a similar attack in January while traveling by motorcycle. All three Domínguez brothers and Bonilla were known for their advocacy protecting the Carlos Escaleras National Park.

The Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods, a local environmental organization, confirmed the attack. While police have not yet commented, Reynaldo Domínguez expressed concern that the investigation might be misdirected towards robbery, a theory he dismisses due to the lack of valuables in the home and the targeted nature of the attack. Reynaldo, currently living outside Honduras for safety reasons, believes the attack was specifically aimed at his brother.

Iron oxide mining within the park has been a source of conflict for years. In a significant legal victory for environmentalists last year, the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber overturned a case against six activists who had been detained since 2019 on charges related to protesting a mining operation. The activists had challenged the legality of mining concessions inside the national park and the resulting damage to the Guapinol and San Pedro rivers.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights visited the region in April to investigate the situation. Their preliminary findings highlighted the alarming statistic of eight environmental activists killed in Honduras in 2023 alone, raising concerns about the dangers faced by those defending the environment. Honduras has gained a reputation as one of the world's most perilous countries for environmental activism, a notoriety underscored by the 2016 murder of Berta Cáceres, who protested a hydroelectric project. Reynaldo Domínguez lamented the environmental destruction caused by the mining company in just five years.