Gualcarque River
The Gualcarque River (Spanish: Río Gualcarque) is a river in Intibucá, western Honduras. It is sacred to the indigenous Lenca, who depend on the river for their subsistence. It is the site of the proposed Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam, a joint Honduran-Chinese project.
| Gualcarque River | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Río Gualcarque (Spanish) |
| Location | |
| Country | Honduras |
| Departments | Intibucá and Santa Bárbara |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Reserva Biológica Opalaca |
| • location | San Francisco de Opalaca |
| • coordinates | 14°31′N 88°18′W |
| Mouth | |
• location | Río Grande de Otoro |
• coordinates | 14°45′39″N 89°09′45″W |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Ulúa |
Since 2006, Sinohydro, the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Honduran company Desarrollos Energéticos (DESA) have made preparations for four hydroelectric dams without consulting the Lenca, including the Agua Zarca dam. Construction began in 2012, and in 2013 river access was blocked, after which the Lenca started to protest. They have been met with violence, detention and torture.
In March 2013 during a peaceful protest at the dam office, Tomas García was shot and killed. In March 2016, Berta Cáceres, an internationally known indigenous activist who was a leader of the opposition to the dam, was also shot and killed. In June 2017, the banks financing the project suspended and withdrew funding because of the controversy.