It is June 28th, 2009. The people of Honduras are preparing to vote in their country's first-ever referendum. However, instead of waking up to ballot boxes they rise to find their streets full of soldiers. The first coup d'état in Central America in three decades.
An unprecedented nationwide resistance movement is born, known simply as La Resistencia. Without question, the most daring arm of the movement is that of the farmers of the Aguan Valley. With the president that promised to help them get their land back overthrown, they decide to take control of their own destiny. In a matter of minutes they seize control over 10,000 acres of palm oil plantations belonging to the country's most powerful landowner. Located on some of the most fertile land in all of Central America, the farmers announce that they have no plans of ever giving the plantations back.
WE ARE NOT FISH LIVING IN THE WATER,
NOR BIRDS LIVING IN THE AIR;
WE ARE HUMANS LIVING ON THE LAND.
Slogan of the Unified Campesino Movement of the Aguan (MUCA)
Beginning with the historic moment of the coup, 'Resistencia: The Fight for the Aguan Valley' follows three key members of the farmers' resistance over four years as they attempt to implement participatory democracy in their new communities. All while trying to survive the violent reaction of the landlord and the coup regime.