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Honduran human rights investigator to visit Canada as part of Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada’s fall campaign

Human rights investigator Elvin Hernández
As a human rights investigator for ERIC-Radio Progreso, Elvin Hernández tracks, studies and reports on abuses of human and environmental rights in some of the most impoverished communities in Honduras.

MONTREAL, October 5, 2023 ― Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada is pleased to announce a solidarity visit by Honduran human rights investigator Elvin Hernández as part of its ongoing Stand for the Land campaign. From October 13 to 24, 2023, Hernández will participate in various public meetings and Masses in Quebec and Ontario.

Working for our partner ERIC-Radio Progreso (see website in Spanish), Hernández has accompanied and been at the forefront of the struggles of the communities of Guapinol and the San Pedro sector. Since 2015, these communities have been resisting the pollution of their lands and waters by an open-pit iron mine that operates in a supposedly protected national park under a questionably obtained permit.

Not only have the communities’ concerns gone unaddressed, but their peaceful protests have also been violently repressed. In 2018, trumped up charges were laid against 32 Guapinol defenders, eight of whom remained detained for 914 days. This year, three of the defenders were killed. Our Stand for the Land campaign is a response to these beleaguered communities’ appeal for help.

The campaign invites Canadians to sign a letter to the Honduran ambassador to Canada, asking her government to better protect land defenders; investigate the assassinations; recompense the aggrieved; revoke the mine’s permit; and restore the national park.

To support this effort, Hernández will present the history of the Guapinol case, reveal how it fits into a pattern of rights abuses in Honduras and explain why Canadians must Stand for the Land, in solidarity with their Honduran sisters and brothers.

Journalists and members of the public can meet Hernández at the following public events:

Friday, October 13, 2023, 3 to 5 p.m., ET
Presentation at the Société des Missions étrangères
180 Juge Desnoyers Pl, Laval, QC H7G 1A4

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10 a.m., ET
Presentation at Salle Cabana
95 Ozias-Leduc St, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 1M7
Contact centresudquebec@devp.org to preregister.

Sunday, October 15, 2023, 3 p.m., ET
Presentation at the Halte Marie-Rose
165 René-Philippe St, LeMoyne, QC J4R 2J9
Contact centresudquebec@devp.org to preregister.

Monday, October 16, 2023, 6 to 8:30 p.m., ET
Public meeting at the Salle Jean-d’Auteuil-Richard
Provincial House of the Jesuits of Canada
25 Jarry St W, Montreal, QC H2P 1S6

Thursday, October 19, 2023, 7 to 9 p.m., ET
Presentation at Mary Ward Centre
70 St Mary St, Toronto, ON M5S 1J3
Preregister at bit.ly/ElvinHonduras2023

Monday, October 23, 2023, 12 to 1:30 p.m., ET
Lunch-and-learn at St. Paul University
223 Main St, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4

Monday, October 23, 2023, 1:30 p.m., ET
Presentation at Notre-Dame Cathedral
385 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 1J9

Monday, October 23, 2023, 7 to 8:30 p.m., ET
Presentation at St-Joseph Cathedral
245 St-Joseph Blvd, Gatineau, QC J8Y 3X5

Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., ET
Press Conference at Parliament Hill
Room 135-B, West Block
Wellington St, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A9

Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., ET
Hybrid lunch-and-learn at the Canadian Labour Congress
2841 Riverside Dr, Ottawa, ON K1V 8X7
In-person: RSVP agilchristblackwood@cnca-rcrce.ca
Zoom: Preregister at bit.ly/45hIyvx

Although Elvin Hernández only speaks Spanish, it will be possible to interact with and interview him in English or French with the help of volunteer interpreters who will be present at each event.

Hernández’ activities in Quebec are have financial support from Quebec’s Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie.

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About Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada

Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada. It works in partnership with local organizations in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East to create greater justice in the world and to act in solidarity with the most vulnerable people.



For more information, contact:

Minaz Kerawala
Communications and Public Relations Advisor
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada
514 257-8710 ext. 328 | mkerawala@devp.org

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