Paramilitarism in progress

Abstract

Over the past decade, Honduras has repeatedly ranked among the top ten most murderous countries in the world. While criminal gangs and drug trafficking are identified as the primary sources of violence, this chapter exposes the paramilitary violence employed against social movements for the purpose of (1) enabling land dispossession of small farmers and indigenous communities and (2) repressing social movements that oppose neoliberal reforms. The chapter examines cases of paramilitary violence against communities in the agribusiness, mining, energy sectors, and the student movement. We argue that paramilitary violence in Honduras is political and pro-capitalist and demonstrates the need to conceptualize violence not according to the actors exercising it but rather its function. We operationalize paramilitary violence using two modalities: state actors engaging in violence outside of their legally prescribed duties and non-state armed actors engaging in violence beyond their formally defined duties and/or illegally inflicting harm upon civilians. This chapter identifies key patterns in paramilitary violence in relation to economic and security legislation, the criminalization of dissent, and the fragmentation of local communities by powerful actors.