432 432 Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team Central American Report on Human Rights and Social Conflict 2018-2019 433 433 The document has been prepared and published by the Central America Regional Team for Monitoring and Analysis of Human Rights, within the framework of the "2018-2019 Central American Report on Human Rights and Social Conflict" project, which is sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation; and executed by the Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team. Organizations that make up the Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team Human Development Center –CDH- (Honduras) Center for Research and Promotion of Human Rights –CIPRODEH- (Honduras). Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights –CENIDH- National Human Rights Commission of Panama –CONADEHUPA- Foundation of Studies for the Application of Law –FESPAD- Mutual Support Group –GAM- (Guatemala) Costa Rican Lutheran Church –ILCO- Contact Persons Organization Name Email CDH Hector Herrera [email protected] Hernán Ismael Corrales [email protected] CIPRODEH Erick Vidal Martínez [email protected] CENIDH Marlin Sierra [email protected] Georgina Ruiz CONADEHUPA Eric Knudson [email protected] FESPAD Saul Baños [email protected] Eugenia Ochoa [email protected] Omar Flores [email protected] GAM Daniel Alvarado [email protected] ILCO Gilberto Quesada Mora [email protected] Editorial Team: Saul Baños Eugenia Ochoa Omar Flores The reproduction of this report is permitted by any means, provided its source is cited. 2018-2019 Central American Report on Human Rights and Social Conflict. Printed in El Salvador 500 copies 434 434 Acknowledgments The Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team is thankful for the technical advice as well as the financial cooperation provided by the Lutheran World Federation, through the Central America Program, directed by Mr. Martrín Ruppenthal. It is also thankful to the organizations that provided outstanding information in the six countries of the Central American region for the preparation of this report: El Salvador Permanent Bureau for Labor Justice. El Salvador National Movement in Defense of the Earth (MOVITIERRA). TACUSCALCO Movement from El Salvador. Nicaragua Club of Young Environmentalists. Honduras Association of Women Defenders of Life. Honduras Social Environmental Movement of the South for Life (MASS-VIDA). 435 435 FOREWORD For the Lutheran World Federation / World Service, Central America Program, the 2018-2019 Central American Report on Human Rights and Social Conflict is the result of the work and commitment that the Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team makes every year to make visible what the situation of rights in the region is. In its fourteenth edition, the report accounts for the vulnerabilities, risk situations and human rights violations faced by our Central American populations. This document offers data, reliable and verified information to have elements that allow you to analyze the contexts and understand the regional problems that afflict, above all, the most vulnerable populations, who face impotence with the negligence and corruption of their governments, who, in general, does not feel represented by the political class, which causes cracks in the democratic system because these governments are not guaranteeing the rights of the population, a topic broadly addressed in the first part of the Report. Violence and crime have put Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in the eye of the hurricane, which among other causes, have significantly increased migration. A special case is that of Nicaragua, which has been experiencing a crisis of violence since April 2018, over which communities, civil society organizations, and the media have denounced the repression of the government in the face of social protests. These issues are presented in the second part of the document, which emphasizes gender violence, and addresses sensitive issues such as femicides, pregnancy in girls and adolescents; for instance, in Nicaragua, the rights of women who disagree with the government have been violated, and many of them have been arrested. In this context, the 2018-2019 Central American Report on Human Rights and Social Conflict presents advances and setbacks in the fulfillment of rights in the region, where these situations are the product of structural causes that do not allow the majority of the population to be able to enjoy them with dignity and increase the gaps in inequality, inequity, and exclusion. We appreciate the efforts of the Central America Regional Human Rights Monitoring and Analysis Team, for this document that constitutes a valuable contribution for the region and is an important input for organizations, human rights defenders and governments to improve and comply with the policies and laws to protect the most vulnerable populations and create spaces, so that the population expresses itself, takes into account and guarantees the full fulfillment of their rights. Sincerely, Martin Ruppenthal Regional Representative Central America Program World Service Lutheran World Federation 436 436 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 3 Presentation 4 Acronyms and Abbreviations 7 Regional Context 10 CHAPTER 1: DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IN CENTRAL AMERICA 13 1.1 Corruption and Impunity 16 1.2 Political and Social Crisis 27 1.3 Freedom of Speech 37 1.4 Situation of Human Rights Defenders 43 CONCLUSIONS 51 RECOMMENDATIONS 52 CHAPTER 2: CITIZENS SECURITY 53 2.1 Homicides 61 2.2 Gender Violence 65 2.2.1 Femicides 71 2.2.2 Sexual Violence 73 2.3 Attacks on the LGBTI Community 76 CONCLUSIONS 83 RECOMMENDATIONS 84 CHAPTER 3: POVERTY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 85 3.1 Poverty and Human Development in the Central American Region 86 3.2 Purchasing Power and Adequate Standard of Living 97 3.3 Impact of Extractive, Megaproject and Monoculture Industries 105 3.4 Humanitarian Crisis in Central America: A Social, Political and Environmental Phenomenon112 CONCLUSIONS 118 RECOMMENDATIONS 119 NOTES 121 437 437 GRAPHS Graph 1: Corruption Perception Index in Central America (2015-2018) Graph 2: Femicides in Central America FIGURES Figure 1: Central America: The Way of Drugs TABLES Table 1: Central American Ranking on Press Freedom 2019 Table 2: List of aggressors in the framework of Freedom of the Press in El Salvador Table 3: Global Peace Index in Central America (2015-2019) Table 4: Homicide rate in Central America per 100 thousand inhabitants (2015-2018) Table 5: Economic growth in Central America (2017-2018) Table 6: Central American countries with undernourished population Table 7: Infant mortality rate in Central America (2017-2018) Table 8: Human Development Index in Central America Table 9: Most unequal Central American countries in the world Table 10: Central America GDP per capita ranking (2018) Table 11: Basic National Shopping Basket in Central America Table 12: Minimum Wage in Central America Table 13: Distribution of Central American immigrants in the United States (2017-2018) 438 438 Acronyms and Abbreviations AMHON: Association of Municipalities of Honduras ASOCAMBIO: Association I Change ARENA: Nationalist Republican Alliance ANDA: National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers APES: Association of Journalists of El Salvador UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees BCN: Central Bank of Nicaragua IDB: Inter-American Development Bank IACHR: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights CICIG: International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala CICIES: International Commission Against Impunity in El Salvador CSE: Supreme Electoral Council CPP: Criminal Procedure Code CNSD: National Security and Defense Council CSJ: Supreme Court of Justice CAMST: Body of Municipal Agents of Santa Tecla CENIDH: Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights CIPRODEH: Center for Research and Promotion of Human Rights of Honduras CIEN: National Economic Research Center 439 439 CICAD: Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission CACIF: Coordinating Committee of Commercial, Industrial and Financial Agricultural Associations CNSCC: National Council of Citizen Security and Coexistence CRH: Constitution of the Republic of Honduras ECLAC: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean CONALFA: National Literacy Committee CNU: National Council of Universities CST: Superior Labor Council CBA: Basic Food Basket CDH: Center for Human Development ENCOVI: National Survey of Living Conditions EHPM: Multi-Purpose Household Survey ECE: Continuous Employment Survey ENEI: Employment and Income Survey FSLN: Sandinista National Liberation Front FGR: Attorney General's Office FESPAD: Foundation of Studies for the Application of Law FUSINA: National Interagency Security Force of Honduras 4310 4310 FNA: National Anti-Extortion Force FMLN: Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front FUNDESA: Foundation for the Development of Guatemala FOSDEH: Social Forum of External Debt and Development of Honduras FAO: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization GANA: Grand Alliance for National Unity GAFILAT: Latin American Financial Action Group GIEI: Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts CPI: Corruption Perception Index HDI: Human Development Index IPG: Global Peace Index IHSS: Honduran Social Security Institute VAT: Value Added Tax IDD: Crime Reporting Index INAMU: National Women's Institute INACIF: National Institute of Forensic Sciences INE: National Statistics Institute IPM-NNA: Multidimensional Poverty