ashington (March 3, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the murder of renowned environmental activist Berta Cáceres.

“The murder of Berta Cáceres, an environmental and indigenous activist, in Honduras today is an outrage and a tragedy. In the middle of the night gunmen entered her home and shot her, just one week after she received threats for opposing a hydroelectric project.

“Berta was a beacon for all of us. She stood up for the rights of the Lenca people to sustainably manage their own land on behalf of their communities. Her work and commitment were admirable and doubly so in Honduras, which has one of the world's highest homicide rates and is considered particularly dangerous for environmental activism. In spite of this, Berta persevered. Last year, her work was recognized with the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to one of the region’s biggest hydropower projects in the Gualcarque River basin.

“I call on the Honduran government to undertake a complete and transparent investigation and bring all of those responsible for this crime to justice. At the same time, we honor Berta’s vision and bravery. Her life, her mission and her legacy will live on by doing our part to protect the environment, the human rights of all communities, and a future that -- as Berta saw and fought for -- is within our reach if we commit to the ideals for which she lived and died.”

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