Paz

MEMORANDUM

Juan Carlos Velasquez Paz, a native and citizen of Honduras, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Our jurisdiction is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review de novo questions of law, Cerezo v. Mukasey, 512 F.3d 1163, 1166 (9th Cir.2008), except to the extent that deference is owed to the agency’s determination of the governing statutes and regulations, Simeonov v. Ashcroft, 371 F.3d 532, 535 (9th Cir.2004). We review for substantial evidence factual findings. Zehatye v. Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006). We deny in part and dismiss in part the petition for review.

We reject Velasquez Paz’s claim that he is eligible for asylum and withholding of removal based on his political opinion. See Barrios v. Holder, 581 F.3d 849, 852-53 (9th Cir.2009) (holding that a refusal to join a gang does not constitute a political opinion); Santos-Lemus v. Mukasey, 542 F.3d 738, 747 (rejecting as a political opinion “a general aversion to gangs”). We lack jurisdiction…