A $750 million U.S. economic aid package for Central America was touted last year as a way to slow migration into the U.S. by making one of the worlds most violent regions more prosperous.

But the March assassination of indigenous land-rights activist Berta Cceres has shined an international spotlight on the Honduran governments abysmal human rights record , casting doubt on whether it can meet conditions for claiming a large chunk of the aid money.