Former soldier Roberto David Castillo was found guilty last year of participating in the 2016 murder of the country’s most famous environmental defender. Berta Caceres opposed a dam project on the territory of an indigenous community.
Roberto David Castillo was not only a former soldier trained at the American academy at West Point, but he was also the executive director of Desa, the company entrusted with the construction of the dam on the Gualcarque river, in the west from the country.
A dam which, once built, would have flooded many lands and cut off the supply of water, food and medicine to hundreds of members of the indigenous Lenca people. Berta Caceres opposed it with the indigenous organization of which she was the coordinator. Following their action, a Chinese company that was participating in the project withdrew. According to the Court, Roberto David Castillo has ” directly participated in the assassination of the activist, using her contacts in the military to organize the murder and hire the killers.
In 2018, seven people had already been sentenced to terms ranging from 30 to 50 years in prison for their participation in the murder. Monday, June 20, after the sentencing of Roberto David Castillo to 22 years in prison, the daughter of Berta Caceres said to herself ” scandalized because he didn’t get the maximum sentence. The activist’s brother for his part announced other lawsuits, specifying: ” it is not easy, because they are people who have great political and economic power “.
► To read also: Murder of Berta Cáceres: “We must find the real brains in order to judge and punish them”