Aurelio Martínez, Honduran Garifuna musician and politician, dies at 55
Aurelio Martínez, the longtime ambassador of Garifuna music and former Honduran congressman, has died. He was 55.
Martínez's official Facebook page confirmed his death and mourned the loss of the musician.
"With deep sorrow, we confirm the passing of Aurelio Martínez, legendary musician, composer, and Garifuna activist, who tragically lost his life on March 17, 2025, in a plane crash off the coast of Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras," the post said.
The small commercial plane crashed into the sea soon after takeoff on Monday en route to the Honduran city of La Ceiba, according to the Associated Press. Martínez was one of the 17 passengers on the plane and among the at least 12 people on the aircraft that died in the accident. The crash is currently under investigation by Honduran officials.
Read more: Belizean musician championed the vanishing Garifuna culture
"Aurelio Martínez was more than an artist — he was a guardian of Garifuna heritage, a bridge between generations, and a symbol of cultural resilience," the official Facebook page post continued. "His unmistakable voice and mastery of the guitar brought Garifuna music to the world's most prestigious stages, including his historic NPR Music Tiny Desk performance, where he became the first Honduran to take part in the renowned series."
The singer-songwriter was a prominent member of the Garifuna ethnic group, a population of people with Indigenous and African ancestry found in Central America and parts of the Caribbean.
Martínez made a career change in 2005 when he became the first Afro-Honduran elected to Honduras' National Congress. One of his main objectives while in office was to protect and highlight the Garifuna community. He served from 2006 to 2010.
He returned to music after the passing of Belizean Garifuna musician Andy Palacio, with whom Martínez had performed throughout his career.
Martínez was born in the Gracias a Dios Departamento of Honduras in 1969 and was drawn to music starting at a young age.
Read more: The Garifuna honor a piece of their soul
"When I was a child, I had very natural toys. My first toy was a guitar I built for myself from wood taken from a fishing rod. So that's how I played my first chords," he told Afropop Worldwide in 2006. "
He left his hometown at age 14 and performed in several music ensembles before forming the group Lita Ariran. The band released its first album, "Songs of the Garifuna," in 1995. He would go on to release several other albums and was featured on the 2007 Palacio album "Wátina." His last solo album, "Darandi," was released in 2017.
Stonetree Records, a music label Martínez had previously worked with, shared a statement Tuesday evening on Facebook about the musician's death.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Aurelio, one of our closest friends and musical collaborators for more than 25 years," the label wrote. "With fierce pride, dignity, and passion afforded to only the most special artists, over the years Aurelio has been a beacon of hope for Garifuna culture worldwide. The Garifuna nation has lost an irreplaceable cultural champion, but his example will forever live in the countless hearts that he touched with his music and his humanity."
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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