Cardin Statement on New Investigative Report into Assassination of Honduran Environmentalist Berta Cáceres

U.S. Senator has repeatedly called for justice in murder of Caceres, end to impunity in Honduras

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement Friday after an Independent Team of Experts released a report highlighting the inefficiencies and negligence of the investigation into the assassination on the assassination of Honduran Environmentalist Berta Cáceres:

“The deeply troubling findings of the Independent Advisory Group of Experts (GAIPE) indicate that the investigation into the assassination of Honduran environmentalist Berta Cáceres has been marked by negligence and lack of political will.

“More than a year and a half since Ms. Cáceres’ murder, I remain disappointed about the pace of and deficiencies in the investigation. While eight individuals have been arrested in connection to the murder, the official investigation has failed to hold accountable any of the intellectual authors behind Berta’s murder. The report by the Team of Experts suggests that there are investigative leads that have been ignored. The Honduran Public Ministry must intensify its efforts to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation and provide the information required by law to the Caceres family’s legal representatives. The credibility of the Honduran justice system is at stake.

“I continue to stand in solidarity with the Cáceres family and with the hundreds of Honduran environmentalists and human rights activists who have been victims of senseless murders.”

###