Honduras

Honduras, 2009

Mixed news from Honduras and Colombia
[11-4-09]

Two brief news bulletins from School of the Americas Watch, dated Oct. 31, 2009

Zelaya and coup regime agree to resolution in Honduras

Latin America today awoke to two extraordinary announcements that will impact the region for years to come; one in Honduras producing tentative hope, and the other in Colombia, sowing widespread concern and fear. Together they reflect the dual nature of the Obama Administration´s approach to Latin America.

Hope arrived in the form of a decision that opens the door to the return of President Manuel Zelaya to office, heralding an end to the brutal four-month coup that was orchestrated by SOA graduate Romeo Vasquez. After a visit by Assistant Secretary of State, Tom Shannon, an agreement was brokered that will allow Honduran Congress to return Zelaya to power, something that both parties see as forthcoming.

Latin Americans celebrated the decision as a victory for democracy, people power, and the growing solidarity among Latin American nations. Immediately after the forced removal of President Zelaya on June 28th, a resistance movement took to the streets of Honduras with two demands: the immediate return of Zelaya and a call for a constitutional assembly. They remained there for the next 125 days, in spite of brutal repression and the loss of at least 21 lives. All Latin American nations immediately repudiated the coup, and raised a unanimous voice, calling for Zelaya´s return.

According to Bertha Oliva, Director of COFADEH, many concerns remain. The international community is likely to interpret this as a conclusion to the Honduran problem, and turn their attention away at a crucial time. Elections are scheduled to take place on November 29th. The majority of the international community had refused to acknowledge the victor unless Zelaya was previously returned to office, prodding the State Department to go all out to broker an accord. But Oliva fears that election results are already compromised, as the majority of campaigning has taken place under an atmosphere of repression, detentions, torture, deaths and even the beating of one of the key independent candidates.

The Honduran National Resistance Front to the Coup D'etat has reiterated that their demand for a national constituent assembly is non-negotiable.

The U.S. gains access to 7 military bases in Colombia

Within hours of the likely restitution of democratic order in Honduras, Colombia announced that it has signed an agreement with the United States, granting them use of at least seven of its military bases for ten years and putting no limits on the number of US personnel to be deployed in Colombia.

The announcement of the use of the Colombian bases was immediately rejected throughout Latin America, especially by neighboring countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela, who have experienced recent incursions by the Colombian military into their territory. At a recent gathering of UNASUR (the Union of South American Nations) South American presidents strongly criticized the deal. Concern was expressed that the Obama administration has taken one step further than the Bush administration in isolating several South American nations, sending a message with a a military muscle.

The escalation of a U.S. presence in South America highlights the importance of uniting in resistance this November. Join us November 20-22 in Columbus, GA as we remember the victims of U.S. interference in Latin America and protest against a foreign policy of militarization.

Honduras crisis may be coming to resolution
[10-30-09]

A quick -- and more hopeful -- follow-up on yesterday's report.

The Christian Science Monitor, along with other media, is reporting that an agreement has been reached by which ousted President Manuel Zelaya will be (or may be?) allowed to return to office for the remaining three months of his term. “The deal would include the creation of a powersharing government and the promise on both sides that presidential elections slated for Nov. 29 will be respected. It also would establish a truth commission and signal an end to international sanctions - slapped on Honduras by countries, including the US -in protest of Zelaya's removal from office.”

For a number of reports from the Christian Science Monitor, gathered by Truthout.com >>

The New York Times report >>

Our earlier reports on the Honduras crisis >>

Late update:

A recent AP report posted by iGoogle offers more detail about U.S. involvement in the settlement. Huh - imagine that -- the U.S. helping achieve a settlement instead of ... like, invading something!

The Coup in Honduras: US regresses, Hondurans march [10-29-09]

Witness for Peace provides a good update on the situation in Honduras

It begins:

As the coup regime in Honduras continues to cling to power, attacks on Hondurans' human rights continue to mount. Meanwhile, the U.S. response remains sluggish and two-faced. In late July, the State Department finally revoked the diplomatic visas of four coup-plotters. But just one week later, the same State Department sent a contradictory letter to Senator Lugar. After "energetically condemning" the coup against Honduran President Zelaya, the letter incredibly named Zelaya, not the coup-plotters, as responsible for his own ouster. The U.S. response to the coup should not be a matter of supporting or rejecting the prior actions of Manuel Zelaya; it’s a matter of supporting or rejecting the flagrant usurpation of Hondurans’ right to exercise their democratic will.

The illegitimate coup merits clear, consistent condemnation from the U.S., not the schizophrenic response seen thus far. To demonstrate unequivocal (if not expedient) support for Hondurans’ self-determination, the U.S. should revoke U.S. visas for the many untouched coup-plotters, freeze their U.S.-held assets, and cease U.S. military operations at the still-active Palmerola base near the Honduran capital.

The rest of the article, plus suggestions for action >>

URGENT: You can help restore democracy to Honduras [9-10-09]

Since June 28th, many friends of School of the Americas Watch (SOA) have joined with our friends in Honduras to help return democracy to their country. As a result, your actions are now bearing fruit.

Earlier this week, the SOA graduate-backed Honduran military coup regime refused all diplomatic options to return democracy. The U.S. State Department responded by asserting that visas to Hondurans would no longer be granted under the coup. Late yesterday State Department officials made it clear that they are considering legally defining the situation as a "military coup." This would create an automatic cut-off of aid to Honduras.

The coup regime immediately responded by saying that they would allow the rightful President Zelaya to return with amnesty, but not as president. Clearly the coup leaders are caving to the pressure. We need you to act now to return democracy to Honduras. Please make two very important phone calls this morning!

1.) Call the State Department at 202-647-6575 or 1-800-877-8339 and ask for Secretary Clinton. Deliver the following message: "Legally define the de facto regime in Honduras as a military coup and ensure that the coup plotters will be held responsible for their actions."

2.) Call the White House at 202-456-1111 and repeat the same message, "Legally define the de facto regime in Honduras as a military coup and ensure that the coup plotters will be held responsible for their actions."

Tomorrow: Global Day of Action for Honduras

Dispel the Myths, Expose the Truth

Come with us to Honduras

[8-10-09]

From Witness for Peace:

The coup regime in Honduras has now clung to power for six weeks. Meanwhile, the U.S. response has remained sluggish and two-faced. Late last month, the State Department finally revoked the diplomatic visas of four coup-plotters. But just last week the same State Department sent a letter to the Senate that incredibly names President Zelaya, not the coup-plotters, as responsible for his own ouster. The U.S. response to the coup should not be a matter of supporting or rejecting the prior actions of Manuel Zelaya; it's a matter of supporting or rejecting the flagrant usurpation of Hondurans' right to exercise their democratic will. The illegitimate coup regime merits clear, consistent condemnation from the U.S., not the schizophrenic response seen thus far.

While the U.S. delays and equivocates, Hondurans are suffering a level of repression not seen since the death squads of the 1980's. One week after the coup, the military fired 160 rounds of live ammo into a nonviolent crowd, killing a teenager. Since then, the coup regime has overseen nine politically-motivated murders, countless military attacks on peaceful protesters, the arbitrary arrest of over 1,300 people, and the systematic military occupation and shutdown of most independent media outlets. (Has this been reported in your local papers? Send a quick letter to the editor today.)

Yet, such repression has failed to silence Honduran social movements. Indeed, those movements are actually gaining strength, according to on-the-ground sources. Currently thousands of Hondurans from across the country are marching towards Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula (the country's two biggest cities) as part of a nationwide march organized by The National Front of Resistance Against the Coup, a large coalition of Honduras's diverse social movements. To coincide with the march's culmination tomorrow, the National Front has declared Tuesday a "Global Day of Action for Honduras." Honduras's social movements are calling on us to act tomorrow in solidarity with their efforts to restore democracy and dignity to their country.

How can you demonstrate your solidarity? Here are three ways:

Send a letter to the editor that exposes the violations in Honduras and dispels myths about the coup. Mainstream media coverage of the coup has been laden with misinformation, while human rights violations have gone largely unreported. Get the truth out in your community by submitting a quick letter to the editor. Click here to review our sample letter and easily send it to your local papers.
Join us on a delegation to Honduras. From September 5-12, we will go to Honduras to bear witness to the alarming human rights situation, show international solidarity with the Honduran social movements, and push the U.S. government to fully revoke support for the coup-plotters. A few spots are still open for this unique delegation. To sign up or get more information, please contact Ken Crowley: ken@witnessforpeace.org, 773-564-9535, 202-423-3402.
Ask your representative to condemn the coup. House Resolution 630, currently with 44 cosponsors, echoes the resounding demands of thousands of Hondurans, the international community, and organizations like Witness for Peace: that President Zelaya be immediately reinstated as Honduras's legitimate leader. Ask your rep to cosponsor this resolution--click here for more info and a suggestion of what to say when you call your representative.

Thanks in advance for acting at this critical moment to support Hondurans' demands for democracy.

Adelante,

Ben Beachy

National Grassroots Organizer

August 11, 2009: GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR HONDURAS [8-10-09]

Donna Laubach, a friend of the Witherspoon Society, and a retired mission co-worker now living in Spain (or Venezuela -- we're not quite sure), has asked us to post this notice about an important action of protest tomorrow.

It has been posted on the School of the Americans Watch website, but only in Spanish, and Donna has said in her note: “Please pass on this info in Spanish to Witherspoon. It is about time we give out news in Spanish, since it is a rather large group of folks in the States.”

So here it is, with links to further information on the SOA website.

Click here for the English language SOA website.

11 de Agosto de 2009: DIA DE ACCION GLOBAL POR HONDURAS

Descargue AQUI el informe final de la Misión de DDHH en Honduras (7 Agoto de 2009) la que fue conformada por representantes de organizaciones y redes de derechos humanos.

Marchan a Tegucigalpa

Unas 600 personas provenientes de diferentes municipios de los departamentos de Olancho y Francisco Morazán han caminado cientos de kilómetros y su moral de resistencia se mantiene intacta a pesar de las inclemencias del sol o las torrenciales lluvias. Su objetivo de llegar a la capital está cada vez más cerca. Defensoresenlinea.com localizó la marcha pacífica cuando se desplazaba por la aldea La Cañada y la siguió hasta el sector de Monte Redondo a unos 23 kilómetros de la capital. Al realizar el recorrido se ha podido constatar que personas que se transportan en vehículos particulares apoyan a los manifestantes con agua y alimentos Las mujeres son tan entusiastas como los hombres, en la movilización hay campesinos, ganaderos, comerciantes, maestros, estudiantes y profesionales. Gladys Núñez ha acompañado la movilización desde Juticalpa.

Siga leyendo....

Update on the crisis in Honduras – and legislation in Congress [8-4-09]

The Latin America Working Group provides a brief and helpful update on the situation in Honduras after the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

The group also urges support for proposed legislation in the House: “H.Res. 630 condemns the coup d’etat, and calls for the restitution of the elected government of Manuel Zelaya. It urges the Obama Administration to suspend non-humanitarian aid to the de facto Micheletti government, and calls for international observation of the November elections. Lastly, it welcomes the ongoing mediation of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.” More >>

An interview with Honduran President Manuel Zelaya Rosales
[7-30-09]

“Democracy has a price and I'm willing to pay it”

The elected president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya Rosales, has been much in the news since he was ousted from the country in what to many appears to have been a military coup – though the situation is much more complicated than that.

A reporter for SIREL, the website of the Geneva-based International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Unions, interviewed him recently in Managua, Nicaragua, before his recent attempts to re-enter Honduras.

It may be helpful to hear more of Zelaya’s own thinking in the midst of all the other reports. The full interview >>

Having a problem with the photos? If your browser, like mine, displays a number of photos covering some of the text, try right-clicking on one of the photos, then click something like “delete photos,” or “Do not allow photos from this site.” I make no promises, but it might get rid of the pictures so you can read what the man said.

Thanks to Gene TeSelle.

From School of the Americas Watch:

No to the Military Coup in Honduras!

Urge your Representative to Take a Stand for Democracy!
[7-17-09]

On June 28, SOA-trained Honduran military generals overthrew the government of President Manuel Zelaya. The Honduran social movements are resisting the coup regime and engage in daily pro-democracy protests, strikes and civil disobedience. There is still hope that the legitimate government can be reinstalled but it will take pressure on the coup leaders.

Representatives Bill Delahunt (D-MA) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives along with 14 original cosponsors that calls for the return to democracy and the reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya as president of Honduras.

Click here to send a message to your Representative to ask them to take a stand for democracy by co-sponsoring the resolution.

Check if your Representative has already signed on to the resolution. You can find a list of original co-sponsors of the House Resolution here:
http://soaw.org/houseresolution

Read a letter from Representative Bill Delahunt to fellow members of the House of Representatives:
http://soaw.org/houseresolution#colleague

Read the text of the House Resolution:
http://soaw.org/houseresolution#resolution

The U.S. in Honduras:
“Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Good Neighbor”?

[7-15-09]

Donna Laubach, a PC(USA) mission co-worker in Venezuela, asked us to share this article with our readers, to “see if it helps anybody in the States to read the situation in this manner.”

The authors are Clifton Ross, the writer/director of "Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside Out" and, more recently, "Translations from Silence," and Marcy Rein, a freelance writer and editor and longtime participant/observer in various social movements.

A few excerpts:

In the wake of the Honduras coup, speculation about whether or not the US was masterminding the plot is running wild. Brushing off denials of involvement and claims that US officials had tried to dissuade the plotters from plans to overthrow President Manuel Zelaya, progressive writers have almost unanimously accused the Obama administration of complicity in the coup. ...

However, if we assume that the Obama administration is following all previous recent administrations' policy of genocide, brute force, terror, authoritarian rule, and other forms of inhumane repression, we ignore the evidence that we are in a new, more complex and, indeed, more dangerous moment for the Bolivarian project of Latin American unity. To understand our moment, we need to look back three-fourths of a century to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his "Good Neighbor" policy. ...

Under the "Good Neighbor" policy, Latin America supplied raw materials for the emerging industrial empire to the north, which "not only set the US on the road to economic recovery but fortified a block of corporations that provided key support for the New Deal reforms and served as the engine of America's remarkable postwar boom," Grandin wrote. Latin America, on the other hand, was drawn more deeply into a colonial dependence on the United States for the health of its own economies in a relation wherein it provided raw materials, but was deprived of the means of development. Most political thinkers, especially in Latin America, saw the "Good Neighbor" policy as "a new strategy of domination" ...

[With the election of Barack Obama, the] new political realities ... provide an opportunity for the US to regain a measure of control over the region. By contrast with conservatives and neocons(ervatives), liberal and neoliberal imperialists prefer trade treaties to "armed treaties," that is, military force. While Bush preferred leveling Iraq with bombs, Bill Clinton managed to level Mexico with NAFTA. Franklin Roosevelt, with his fast-track authority, negotiated trade treaties with 15 Latin American countries between 1934 and 1942. Obama could use trade deals to widen the divisions emerging in the region - perhaps fortifying "the US free-trade partnerships and links to Brazil and Chile, knowingly sacrificing a sphere of influence in the hope of establishing ring-fences around the most radical governments," as Ivan Briscoe suggested in the "Foro Europa-America Latina." ...

Yes, it's obvious that the US hopes the coup [in Honduras] can neutralize Zelaya. Of course, Hillary will mince words and use linguistic tricks to avoid the use of the word "coup" to exploit the situation to the max. It's also clear that Obama will continue to defend the Empire: A tiger that has withdrawn its claws remains a tiger. But if anti-imperialists continue in the simplistic, black-and-white Manichean thinking of the last 50 years, we'll miss the specific dangers - and opportunities - of the moment. ...

While it's crucial that the coup plotters be brought to justice (even if that includes US citizens) and that Manuel Zelaya return to his rightful place as president of Honduras, activists need to pay even closer attention to the silent murder by economic strangulation and/or free trade agreements. We need to ensure, for instance, that Clinton not be allowed to "cut a deal" to have Zelaya returned under "conditions" (as her husband did with Aristide in 1994). We need to lobby for fair trade agreements and not free trade agreements. We need, finally, to support movements in Latin America working toward unity against empire. Zelaya's return to Honduras, without conditions, will be only one step in our struggle.

For the complete article, in TruthOut.org >>

Honduras – update and action alert

This comes from the Alliance for Global Justice

Zelaya's plane unable to land. Runway blockaded by military. At least two young people are dead

Demand complete cut-off of aid and relations by US!
[7-6-09]

Yesterday, Sunday, July 5, 2009, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who was violently overthrown and removed from the country by a military coup on June 28, flew back to Honduras accompanied by UN General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto. His plane circled the airport, where 100,000 people had gathered to await him and return him to office, but was unable to land because the military blockaded the runway. He then flew to Managua for a brief stop and meeting with President Daniel Ortega before flying to San Salvador to meet with the Secretary General of the OAS and the presidents of Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador who had flown there direct from an OAS meeting in Washington, DC.

Here is a report from the scene in Tegucigalpa by Grahame Russell of Rights Action:

At the airport at 3:00pm (local time Sunday), Honduran soldiers opened fire with M-16s machineguns on an unarmed crowd. At least two are dead, and four wounded. One week after the military coup overthrew the government of President Zelaya, the military-oligarchic regime has furthered hardened its position against the pro-democracy movement. As on Saturday, today, as many as 100,000 pro-democracy Hondurans marched to the airport to welcome home President Zelaya. Thousands of heavily armed soldiers and police who have militarized the airport were waiting. President Zelaya was not able to return. The Honduran army and de facto regime placed military trucks all over the runway. Protesters watched as the Zelaya's plane flew around the airport, trying to land; they watched as the Honduran air force sent a fighter jet to shadow the plane; they watched as Zelaya's plane flew away.

The longer the coup government stays in place, the more people can be expected to die. It is urgent that the US take action before there are more deaths.

Send messages to President Barack Obama, your Senators and Representative with these demands!

1. The United States should recall our ambassador to Honduras as have all the countries of the European Union with embassies in the country;

2. The United States should follow US law and suspend all aid to Honduras, including military aid;

3. The United States government should impose financial sanctions against members of the coup government and the military high command.

Here is a sample message to President Obama that you can use or modify. To type in or upload a message directly to the President, click here.

I urge you to take strong action in rejection of the coup d'état in Honduras. Along with your correct demand for the immediate return of President Manuel Zelaya to office, please withdraw our ambassador to Honduras as have all the countries of the European Union with embassies in the country. Please cut all US assistance to the coup government, including military aid, as required by US law and put in place financial sanctions against members of the coup government and military high command.

Here is a sample message to your Senators and Representative:

I urge you to demand that our government take strong action against the illegal coup government in Honduras. Please urge President Obama to withdraw our ambassador to Honduras as have all the countries of the European Union with embassies in the country. Please urge him to cut all US assistance to the coup government, including military aid, as required by US law and put in place financial sanctions against members of the coup government and military high command.

You can ask your Representative to write a letter similar to the one sent by Massachusetts Representative James McGovern to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which you can find here.

To write your Representative, click here.

To write your Senators, click here.

The Military Coup in Honduras – led by an SOA graduate [6-30-09]

This early report on the coup in Honduras, on Sunday morning, June 28, comes from School of the Americas Watch.

A military coup has taken place in Honduras this morning (Sunday, June 28), led by SOA graduate Romeo Vasquez. In the early hours of the day, members of the Honduran military surrounded the presidential palace and forced the democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya, into custody. He was immediately flown to Costa Rica.

A national vote had been scheduled to take place today in Honduras to consult the electorate on a proposal of holding a Constitutional Assembly in November. General Vasquez had refused to comply with this vote and was deposed by the president, only to later be reinstated by the Congress and Supreme Court.

The Honduran state television was taken off the air. The electricity supply to the capital Tegucigalpa, as well telephone and cellphone lines were cut. Government institutions were taken over by the military. While the traditional political parties, Catholic church and military have not issued any statements, the people of Honduras are going into the streets, in spite of the fact that the streets are militarized. From Costa Rica, President Zelaya has called for a non-violent response from the people of Honduras, and for international solidarity for the Honduran democracy.

While the European Union and several Latin American governments just came out in support of President Zelaya and spoke out against the coup, a statement that was just issued by Barack Obama fell short of calling for the reinstatement of Zelaya as the legitimate president.

Call the State Department and the White House

Demand that they call for the immediate reinstatement of Honduran President Zelaya.

State Department: 202-647-4000 or 1-800-877-8339

White House: Comments: 202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Click here to send a message to President Barack Obama.

Visit www.SOAW.org and www.SOAW.org/presente for articles and updated information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Campaign for Labor Rights added this information, and calls for action, later on Sunday

SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON DENOUNCES COUP – THE STRUGGLE IS NOT OVER – NEW DEMANDS

We just received a call from attendees at the emergency protest at the White House that Secretary of State Clinton has denounced the Honduran coup and expressed support for Pres. Zelaya.

Here is a short report, detailing new demands, from Alliance for Global Justice co-coordinator Chuck Kaufman:

We shouldn't relax though. The coup has not yet been reversed. The US needs to do more than issue a statement. They need to cut off all military aid until Zelaya is safely returned to Honduras.

They need to support bringing the coup plotters to justice. They need to replace the US ambassador who obviously knew what was going on. How fast they do that will indicate whether he told them about it in advance or not.

We are still asking people to:

Call the State Department and the White House

Demand:

1) Cut off all military aid to Honduras until Pres. Zelaya and Chancellor Rodas are safely returned to office;

2) Support any international movements to bring the coup plotters to justice;

3) Replace the US ambassador to Honduras

State Department: 202-647-4000 or 1-800-877-8339

White House: Comments: 202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414

OTHER IMPORTANT UPDATES AND BACKGROUND

Compiled from a variety of sources:

	Apparently the ambassadors of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua were beaten by hooded soldiers and briefly detained after they tried to defend Pres. Zelaya.
	During this time, the US Ambassador was unavailable for comment, whereabouts unknown
	We're not sure what the current fate is Chancellor Patricial Rodas nor do we have details regarding Pres. Manuel Zelaya, who was arrested and flown to Costa Rica.
	The situation that precipitated this situation was the call by Pres. Zelaya for a referendum to change the Honduran constitution. The military and the Supreme Court refused to honor or cooperate with the referendum, which has been called for for months and has wide popular support.
	Electricity has been cut off throughout Honduras and television stations have been shut down. The last we had heard, there has been a stand-off in the streets between popular masses and the Honduran military.

This Alert was prepared by the Campaign for Labor Rights.

Visit our website at: http://www.clrlabor.org/wordpress/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For background and analysis:

For a sharp analysis of the background of the situation in Honduras, see Nikolas Kozloff’s article, “Obama's Real Message to Latin America?” He expresses concern that the coup may indicate a willingness on the part of the Obama administration to return to the old “interventionist U.S. foreign policy in Central America,” by sanctioning, or at least not opposing, a military coup against a democratically elected government.

Kozloff is the author of Revolution! South America and the Rise of the New Left (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2008). You can follow his blog at www.senorchichero.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since these earlier reports were written, it appears that the Obama administration is speaking and acting to oppose the coup. Here’s one brief report, from Sam Youngman, writing in The Hill:

It begins:

Saying the U.S. does "not want to go back to a dark past," President Obama said Monday that the military ouster of President Manuel Zelaya was "not legal."

Meeting with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in the Oval Office, Obama said the two men has discussed the coup and "all of us have great concerns."

The president said the ouster should not be used as "a means of political transition," calling it a "terrible precedent" for the region.

"We do not want to go back to a dark past," he said. "We always want to stand with democracy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But the “ghosts of past U.S. policies” hang over U.S. responses to the coup, says the N. Y. Times.

From School of the Americas Watch:

No to the Military Coup in Honduras!

Urge your Representative to Take a Stand for Democracy! [7-17-09]

Urge your Representative to Take a Stand for Democracy!
[7-17-09]