Cinchoneros
Encyclopedia
The Chichoneros, also known as the Popular Liberation Movement (Spanish: Movimiento Popular de Liberación) was a militant organization active in the 1980s in Honduras
. The MPL was one of the primary militant organizations in Honduras at the time, along with the Lorenzo Zelaya Popular Revolutionary Forces.
The group took its name from 19th century Honduran peasant leader Serapio Romero (nicknamed Cinchonero), who was executed by the Catholic Church in 1865 for refusing to pay taxes.
The MPL was believed to be linked to other leftist movements in El Salvador
, Cuba
, and Nicaragua
.
The group was involved in hijacking aircraft, kidnapping, and hostage-taking, often targeting international corporations in Honduras.
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. The MPL was one of the primary militant organizations in Honduras at the time, along with the Lorenzo Zelaya Popular Revolutionary Forces.
The group took its name from 19th century Honduran peasant leader Serapio Romero (nicknamed Cinchonero), who was executed by the Catholic Church in 1865 for refusing to pay taxes.
The MPL was believed to be linked to other leftist movements in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
The group was involved in hijacking aircraft, kidnapping, and hostage-taking, often targeting international corporations in Honduras.