Honduras troops shoot dead teenage girl amid election crisis protests

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

- Government imposes 10-day curfew as protesters claim election fraud
- Kimberly Dayana Fonseca, 19, shot dead in Tegucigalpa early on Saturday

Saturday 2 December 2017 16.14 EST

A teenage girl was killed as troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in the Honduran capital on Saturday, after the government declared a 10-day curfew and suspended constitutional rights in an attempt to contain an escalating political crisis fuelled by evidence of electoral fraud.

According to witnesses, Kimberly Dayana Fonseca, 19, was shot dead in Tegucigalpa in the early hours of Saturday morning by military police – members of a huge force loyal to the rightwing government of Juan Orlando Hernández, who is accused of meddling in the vote count after last Sunday’s election in an attempt to cling to power.

There were reports of mass detentions and serious injuries overnight after the government deployed troops across the country in what many fear is a return to autocratic rule. At least four people were confirmed dead.

Six days after the election, the winner of the presidential race has still not been declared by the beleaguered electoral commission (TSE), which is controlled by Hernández’s National party.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/02/honduras-troops-shoot-dead-teenage-girl-curfew-election-crisis-protests

[Judi Lynn]

1. Honduras suspends rights as violence spreads over delayed vote count

Army and police given more powers and curfew imposed to contain unrest sparked by fears that last Sunday’s election has been fixed
Reuters
Saturday 2 December 2017 01.40 EST

The Honduran government has suspended constitutional rights to give the army and police more powers and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to contain unrest triggered by a contested election, a senior government official said on Friday.

Ebal Diaz, a high official for the council of ministers, announced the move on television shortly after the country’s electoral tribune said it would aim to resume counting votes on Saturday.

“The suspension of constitutional guarantees was approved so that the armed forces and the national police can contain this wave of violence that has engulfed the country,” Diaz said.

He said the order would take effect at 1200 ET (0500 GMT), but did not give details of what rights would be suspended.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/02/honduras-suspends-rights-as-violence-spreads-over-delayed-vote-count

[flotsam]

2. Now there's a headline that needs a little polishing...N/T

[trof]

3. No kidding. Was she already dead when they shot her?

That seems a bit extreme to me.

[They_Live]

9. They weren't in Poland, but Honduras (n/t)

[Judi Lynn]

4. Honduras: Teenage Girl Killed as Army Enforces Curfew

Honduras: Teenage Girl Killed as Army Enforces Curfew
Published 2 December 2017 (7 hours 0 minutes ago)

Three people – including a teenaged girl – have so far been killed in violent clashes following the disputed Honduran elections, as the armed forces opened fire on unarmed opposition supporters while enforcing a 10-day curfew imposed by the government late Friday.

One man was killed in the port city of La Ceiba on Friday and 19-year-old Kimberly Dayana Fonseca was shot in the head early Saturday in Tegucigalpa as soldiers busted up protesters' blockades, a spokesman for the national police said, bringing the total death toll to three.

Human rights organizations have denounced the curfew, blaming "excessive force" by state troops. The U.S.-based Action Network has sent an open letter to the U.S: Congress and State Department, expressing "deep concern about reports of fraud and state violence" and calling for the immediate suspension of all U.S. police and military aid to Honduras.

The Honduran Ministry of Justice ordered the suspension of citizens' constitutional rights shortly before 11pm Friday. On Saturday, the Committee of the Relatives of the Disappeared in Honduras (Dodafeh) confirmed 11 people have been injured in Tegucigalpa since late Saturday and 41 arrested, six of whom are minors.

More:
https://telesurtv.net/english/news/Honduras-Elections-3-Confirmed-Dead-as-Army-Enforces-Curfew-20171202-0008.html

[Judi Lynn]

5. Honduras Election: One of the Worst Elections in Recent Memory

Evidence is mounting that the Honduran presidential election is being stolen so that the conservative incumbent, President Juan Orlando Hernandez, remains in office. According to CEPR's Mark Weisbrot, this is one of the worst charges of fraud in recent memory, but this is the outcome the Trump administration is hoping for.

Video at link:
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=20618

[burrowowl]

6. I wonder how much US aid is playing a part?

[Judi Lynn]

7. Quite a bit, no doubt, to make sure Honduras will continue to terrorize the people into submission.

Lots of US American business depend upon that cheap labor for their sweatshops.

Right-wing politicians, like John McCain, etc. also have investments there in their electronics businesses.

[burrowowl]

11. Yes looks like it

http://upsidedownworld.org/archives/honduras/electoral-coup-banana-republic-honduras/

[Ferrets are Cool]

8. If this headline said "Texas" instead of Honduras I wouldnt be the least bit surprised......

Please insert any state for Texas...dont think it cant happen in 'Merica...it has before and could again.

[burrowowl]

10. Have seen this?

http://upsidedownworld.org/uncategorized/war-means-land-grabs-forced-displacement-indigenous-communities-guatemala/

[Judi Lynn]

12. It sounds as if the fascist take-over is emboldening the scum of every country to get more violent.

From the end of your article:

This represents new attempts by the Guatemalan government to criminalize social movements across the country. This especially worsens the situation of communities facing eviction from their lands for private interests as it strips the communities of the means to express their dissatisfaction with the status quo in the name of combatting terrorism.

Defending land in Guatemala may now become even more dangero
What a shame our country's problem is encouraging murderous thieves everywhere.

Thank you for this worthwhile information. It's getting even more vicious in Central America, and it was horrible to start, getting a real boost during the Reagan years.

[alarimer]

13. If the US had done something about the coup a while back, this would not be happening.

A duly elected president overthrown with tacit approval by the Obama administration. No wonder things are a mess.