Evidence confirms criminal responsibility of Pinares/Ecotek mining executives in the destruction of Carlos Escaleras National Park
- guapinolresiste
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
In key hearing, Judge issues formal indictment against executives of Pinares/Ecotek companies. The case will move to the next stage of the proceedings, the preliminary hearing.
Important update - For immediate release
Tegucigalpa, Honduras — May 13, 2025. Conclusive evidence has proven the direct involvement of three senior executives from the companies Inversiones Los Pinares and Inversiones Ecotek in the crimes of illegal exploitation of natural resources and aggravated damage to Carlos Escaleras National Park. Therefore, the judge issued an indictment against Victor Lorenzo Bernardez, legal representative; Fernando Padilla, superintendent of the environment; and Douglas Alvarenga, superintendent of mines. This is a landmark case, as it is the first time that senior mining executives have been prosecuted for these crimes in Honduras.
In his ruling, National Jurisdiction Judge Jose Abraham Rosa Sánchez noted that there appears to be collusion between the public administration and the company and noted the recent ruling against Otoniel Flores for his role in illegally authorizing the company to cut down trees in Carlos Escaleras National Park, one of several municipal and ICF workers accused of carrying out illegal actions to promote the mining operation. Furthermore, the judge said that the defendants acted with “knowledge and intent” to commit the crimes of which they were accused. In addition to these three executives, the president of the companies and of Emco Holdings, Lenir Pérez, is currently a fugitive and is believed to be hiding in the US.
Among the key evidence accepted by the judge are statements from agents of the Technical Criminal Investigation Agency (ATIC), technical reports, environmental assessments, and official documentation from the Forest Conservation Institute (ICF) and the Honduran Institute of Geology and Mines (INHGEOMIN). This evidence shows that the executives supervised the construction of a road in the core zone of the national park, the exploitation of minerals without permission, the construction of a crusher and sterile dump, and other works without the corresponding legal and environmental permits, violating environmental and criminal legislation in force in Honduras and causing significant damage to the protected ecosystem, affecting water catchment areas and critical biodiversity in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. As a private prosecutor, the CMDBCPT, together with the MP, highlighted the struggle of the CMDCBPT and defender Juan Lopez in defense of the common good. During the hearing, it was requested that the defendants be sent to preventive detention, but the judge agreed to impose different measures given their million-dollar bail.
Despite attempts by the defense to minimize the responsibility of the executives, even going so far as to blame local communities for the environmental destruction, the evidence completely undermines this strategy. In addition, the judge ruled that the conclusions of the defense expert were not valid because they were not presented at the appropriate time.
We thank the national and international organizations that have accompanied this process and recognize the embassies of Spain, France, and Germany present in the courtroom today. The next hearing is scheduled for June 11 at 9 a.m., but the defense may appeal, which could delay the hearing.
It is important to note that this judicial process is taking place in an alarming context: the Honduran National Congress is currently discussing a proposal to reform the General Environment Law that would eliminate the obligation to conduct environmental impact studies for certain extractive projects. If approved, this reform would retroactively legalize practices such as those under investigation in this case and seriously weaken environmental protection and accountability mechanisms.
The affected communities, environmental organizations, and human rights defenders warn that this proposal opens the door to a new wave of environmental destruction with guaranteed impunity for the companies responsible.
Our colleague Juan López, who was viciously murdered on September 14, 2024, was an integral part of this complaint, and in his name we continue the fight for the liberation and restoration of Carlos Escaleras National Park.
Yes to life! No to the megaproject!