On Thursday, March 3rd, two gunmen barged into the home of Berta Caceres, a well-known Honduran environmental activist, and fatally shot her.

Caceres, winner of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, was a devout environmentalist focusing on the numerous environmental issues that have plagued Honduras for years. In this case, she led the charge against building a dam on the Gualcarque River. Besides harming numerous ecosystems and species, the proposed site of the dam would infringe on land considered sacred by the Lenca people, an indigenous ethnic group. The dam would also cut off much of the Lenca’s water and food supply, as it would severely disrupt the Gualcarque River and all of its tributaries.

Among the many problems facing Honduras, government corruption nears the top of the list. Because of this, independent investigations have not ruled out that the assassination was government-motivated, if not carried out by the government itself. Not only was she an advocate for environmental issues, but she was also a human rights activist, which is likely to have led to her death in this case.

Even with special security measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Caceres has received hundreds of death threats over her career, which finally culminated in her assassination. Caceres was well aware of the danger she faced but nevertheless, was still a staunch advocate for environmentalism and human rights. “It’s such a shame that those who fight for basic human rights end up losing their own right to life,” said Wayne Hills Junior Scott Moroch.

Economic interests have long been in conflict with environmental interests, and unfortunately, this tragedy serves as a reminder that this fight isn’t just over public policy, but over lives.