Hedme Castro, director of Association for Participatory Citizenship (ACI PARTICIPA), and her colleagues, have denounced that in the last months of 2019 (up to July 2019), attacks due to their advocacy have increased on her and her staff. They have been suffering human rights violations including sabotages of vehicles, persecutions, surveillance, and attacks on them while demonstrating. Moreover, Hedme had been arrested at the airport on her departure to attend international events related to her work as a defenders' defender. ACI-PARTICIPA grew out of the need of local defenders that have organized themselves after various factors have pushed them to organize to defend their rights. The group emphasizes that one of these factors was the growth of extractive projects in Southern Honduras (mining and not mining), as well as the creation of the so-called "development zones" or ZEDES. For example, since 2013, ACI-PARTICIPA has supported the villagers of Azacualpa in their struggle to resist eviction and prevent the relocation of their community's cemetery for the expansion of a mining project. In May 2016, members of ACI-PARTICIPA were intimidated, followed and threatened in connection to this support. ACI-PARTICIPA has also supported other communities in their resistance against human rights impacts of hydropower projects over the years. On July 4, 2019, Hedme Castro, about 200 meters before arriving at the office in Tegucigalpa observed a vehicle coming behind her. She advanced towards the office and the vehicle parked in front of her car. Mrs. Castro opened the entrance gate of her office and immediately after her out of the car came an armed man, approached the door and told her to let him in because he was going to collect information about ACI PARTICIPA. The director told him that she could not let him in because she did not have any information to deliver. The man told her then that he was coming from the presidential palace, but did not present or identification or document that will entitle him to demand delivery of documents belonging to the organization. At the insistence of Hedme Castro, he left. The staff watched the man talk on the phone, and then he finally climbed into the car and pulled out, causing fear to all staff.