A Win for Indigenous Land Rights in Honduras, But the Struggle Continues

The end of 2024 marked a victory for Grassroots International’s partner Consejo Cívico de Organizaciones Populares e Indígenas de Honduras/Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) in its ongoing struggle to uphold the ancestral rights of the Lenca people. Through decades of resistance and perseverance, this past December the community of Montaña Verde in the Lempira department of Honduras was officially granted a community land title (título comunitario) by the National Agrarian Institute for roughly 1,800 acres of ancestral Lenca territory. The community celebrated this milestone with music, cultural acts, and the sharing of heartfelt stories by community members. As one community member shared:

This day is historic because the struggle to obtain this community title is one that has been ongoing for more than 25 years… Today’s achievement is part of the recognition that the land is not to be sold – it is to live and create a thriving community. It is a universal respect to our ancestral land and to our community.

While celebrations and excitement encompassed the community in December, it has faced grave threats since the start of the new year. In January, over 200 people, supported by police and the army, carried out a violent siege against the community. Trees and lands were marked by stones to impose territorial limitations on the very lands the Lenca community is entitled to. According to a community member, “They accuse us of invading lands, when the only thing we are doing is managing the legal titling of a territory that we have historically possessed.”

COPINH has been deeply engaged in the Montaña Verde struggle, as part of its broader work fighting land dispossessions, protecting nature, and promoting sustainable livelihoods. In commenting on the Montaña Verde struggle, COPINH emphasizes the broader implications that extend well beyond the community itself: “This community is an international example of the struggle for autonomy and self-determination. We must continue to fight for our autonomy to save our community from the hands of capitalism.” COPINH also affirms that:

The community title is not a gift, but a victory that symbolizes self-determination and commitment to a model of life based on respect for nature, justice, and community organization. The community has made it clear that this recognition is only one step in the struggle for the autonomy and territorial rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In the face of these latest attacks, the Montaña Verde community is undeterred: “Our community is experienced in struggle. We will not allow our rights to be trampled on.” Its history showcases both resistance and perseverance, and just as its community members emphasize, the Montaña Verde community will overcome these challenges. By protecting the most vulnerable, upholding their ancestral rights, and defending their now legally recognized territory, they are building power against systematic violence by state and corporate actors.

Erlinda Castro is a volunteer at Grassroots International.