Anti-coup demonstrators organise mass protests at Honduras borders

[Judi Lynn]

Source: ITF Global

Anti-coup demonstrators organise mass protests at Honduras borders
10 July 2009

Thousands of trade union demonstrators formed a ring around Honduras in protest against the coup that ousted the country’s democratically elected president, Manual Zelaya.

The trade unionists, members of ITF affiliated unions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua gathered at the borders with Honduras – in El Amatillo, Izabal and Los Tres Pasos de Frontera – on 3 July. They were joined by transport workers from Venezuela and Mexico and by ITF representatives. These included: Francisco Torrealba, Venezuela national coordinator; Arturo Ruiz Tramppe, Central American coordinator and Benito Bahena, Mexico national coordinator. The protests aimed to show solidarity with Honduran trade unionists and called for a restoration of democracy in the country.

It has been reported by unions in Honduras that the group that ousted president Zelaya, led by Roberto Micheletti, serves the economic interests of the few rather than those of civil society. They claim that since the coup on 28 June, people have faced repression; two people have been killed, 1000 injured and several trade union leaders arrested. It has also been reported that press freedom has been curtailed and telephone lines and power cut.

ITF Inter-American regional secretary, Antonio Fritz, who attended the event in Izabal in Guatemala, commented: “These demonstrations are part of the struggle to stop repression and uphold democracy in the region. The union movement as representatives of an organised civil society must be at the forefront of the struggle for freedom, social justice and decent work for all and that includes the fight to end this culture of coups that is crippling the Latin American region.”


Read more: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/3487?frmSessionLanguage=ENG

[EFerrari]

1. There are hundreds of people in detention.

And we are failing these people miserably by asking Zelaya to "negociate" with violent, repressive traitors.

[David__77]

2. The failure of the negotiations will present an opportunity.

The fascists will refuse to budge. This will allow for more pressure on US to withdraw all support to the coup authorities.

[EFerrari]

3. That should have been done already.

I hope you're right, David. Not feeling very hopeful at this point. :(

[David__77]

4. I'm not hopeful either.

But I really don't know that Zelaya could have outright rejected the so-called negotiations. It will be crucial to handle the next stage correctly, and maintain the diplomatic cordon against the coup leaders. Basically, the November elections must also be delegitimised and a boycott called for. The best case scenario is the destruction of the old order, and a constituent assembly for a new constitution, just as Zelaya wanted in the first place.

[cal04]

5. Honduras rivals agree more talks to pursue solution

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10383912.htm


The rivals for power in Honduras agreed on Friday to hold more talks to seek a solution to the crisis created by last month's coup, keeping alive hopes that dialogue would prevail over confrontation.

The talks' mediator, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, made the announcement after chairing a first round of discussions between teams representing ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and the man put in his place by the June 28 coup, Roberto Micheletti.

"Both sides have agreed to continue talks in the shortest time possible and not rest until they reach an agreement to resolve this crisis," Arias told reporters in the Costa Rican capital San Jose, saying the date for the next meeting would be set in coming days.

Both sides had committed to solving the dispute with "words not gunpowder", he said, but the task could be tough to reconcile the entrenched positions of the parties.

[cal04]

6. Micheletti Tried to Change the Honduran Constitutoin in 1985

He Wanted to Extend President Roberto Suazo Córdoba's Term
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2009/07/micheletti-tried-change-honduran-constitutoin-1985

by TeleSUR
translated by Kristin Bricker

In the rallies that were held this Friday in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, a fact rarely discussed in national and international press--but well-known throughout the Honduran population--was made public: Roberto Micheletti's attempt to modify this Central American country's Constitution in 1985.

Popular organizations, teachers union members, union leaders, and the general public, in addition to demanding the reinstatement of Honduras' legitimate and constitutional president, Manual Zelaya, vocalized coup leader Roberto Micheletti's public attempt .

In 1985, he tried to turn the Honduran National Congress into a National Constitutional Assembly in order to reform the same Magna Carta that the coup leaders are now defending as their transcendental symbol during the current political crisis.

[Judi Lynn]

7. This is phenomenal. So damned glad to see this!

This information should be spread to everyone who has heard about this coup by Micheletti's grubby creepy group of racist oligarchs.

Thank you, cal04.

[Igel]

10. And, the article the post is based on continues to say,

the proposal was suspended because it was considered treason at the time.

In other words, he got the same treatment. I don't think it follows that because Micheletti tried something and was called out for it that a similar kind of transgression is perfectly ok. Oddly, if the #2 in Honduras hadn't resigned, Micheletti wouldn't now be in charge.

[boppers]

13. Micheletti wasn't deposed and exiled for it, but Micheletti also didn't try to force the army...

...into adding an election ballot.

"due to the fact that at that time Micheletti's actions were considered treason" is the exact phrase I noticed, too.

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. Hoist wit his own petard" Beautiful! Now, you low-life right-wing interlopers on here,

you've been grizzling about Zelaya's undemocratic endeavour to change the Honduran constitution, haven't you? Go to Free Republic and stay there.

[bananas]

12. Typo in that link

Maybe the original link had a typo and they fixed it ("toin" instead of "tion"),
here's the new link: http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2009/07/micheletti-tried-change-honduran-constitution-1985

[Odin2005]

9. K&R

[Judi Lynn]

11. Honduras: Road Blocks Demand Coupists Out

July 10, 2009
Honduras: Road Blocks Demand Coupists Out

Tegucigalpa, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) The National Front against the Coup in Honduras extended today the road blocks to vast regions in the country to demand the end of the de facto regime and the return to the institutional order.

The blocks include the roads linking the capital with San Pedro Sula, second city in importance and the one leading north where the main industrial zone of the country is located.

Roads and bridges in Progreso, Olancho, at the border with Guatemala and El Salvador and in all the Caribbean coast, where US transnationals ship banana, said Juan Barahona, coordinator of the Popular Bloc.

"The Honduran people maintains street resistance. We have blocked the country," declared Barahona in an interview with Prensa Latina. The popular leader denounced army repression against peaceful demonstrations and the arrest during the last hours of at least five youths in Tegucigalpa and Olancho.

The Central American country entered today in its 13rd day under curfew decreed by the de facto regime which took power after the coup d�Etat against president Manuel Zelaya.

"We are decided to continue the struggle until the coupists are ousted," expressed Barahona and announced the continuation of protests and the celebration of a National Assembly next week to define new strategies.

More:
http://www.escambray.cu/Eng/Special/CoupHonduras/Croadblocks090710321.htm

[Judi Lynn]

14. Honduras: army and business owners wavering?

Honduras: army and business owners wavering?

Submitted by WW4 Report on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 18:04.

The appearance of unity within the Honduran military and the de facto government is deceptive, according to statements by Argentine deputy defense minister Alfredo Forti published in the Buenos Aires daily Clarín on July 11. "People with the rank of colonel have been sending messages to the outside saying that they're at the limit of their ability to withstand the pressure and that they think a moment is coming when they'll have to separate themselves from the current position because otherwise there might be a bloodbath," said Forti, who was ambassador to Honduras from 2004 to 2007. "These are expressions of fractures within the armed forces. We don't know if it's because there are military people who support the Constitution or because they see it's a situation that's lost and they're trying to find a way out."

Forti put much of the blame for the situation on the business class, which he said "has an almost monopolistic control in many parts of the economy, and at the same time has a very strong influence on the two traditional parties, the Liberal Party and the National Party." (Clarín, July 11)

Business owners have also been influencing politics by using bribes and threats to get employees to participate in demonstrations supporting the coup, according to dozens of calls made to the Radio Globo radio station on July 7. Callers to Radio Progreso in the northern city of El Progreso told similar stories about employees at maquiladoras (assembly plants producing largely for export), municipal offices and the Granitos and Terrazos construction material company. A woman said she was "offered food and 100 lempiras in cash for wearing a white shirt." Participants in demonstrations supporting the coup wear white shirts. (Inside Costa Rica, July 9)

But the business owners appeared to have had second thoughts about the coup once they had seen the level of popular resistance it generated. Radio Globo director David Romero told TeleSUR on July 5 that the business people that had promoted and financed the coup found that the crisis was greater than they expected. He said they had been pushing for a negotiated solution in a meeting of major business owners that morning. (Prensa Latina, July 5)

http://www.ww4report.com/node/7577