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Rights Action
December 12, 2017
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2017 Honduras Election Crisis Update, December 10 & 11
By Karen Spring, Honduras Solidarity Network
(http://www.aquiabajo.com/blog/2017/12/11/day-12-13-morning-2017-election-crisis-update)
Yesterday, the Alliance called large marches in different parts of the country. The march in Tegucigalpa started at the public hospital and ended in front of the U.S. Embassy. There were several signs calling out the U.S. for supporting the electoral fraud.
There were an announcement circulated calling for a Paro Nacional for today (Monday) but it was not officially called by the Alliance & the Convergence against Reelection. Regardless, there are road blocks and protests all over the country.
Road blocks and protests have been reported in: Choluteca (Choluteca), Sambo Creek (Atlantida), Tocoa (Colon), Puente Arizona (Atlantida), Pajuiles (Atlantida), Ceibita (Santa Barbara), Tela (Atlantida), Porterillos (Cortes), and likely in multiple places in Colon. The popular movement in Colon called for permanent blockades starting today. In Tegucigalpa, several roads and major boulevards have been blocked since early this morning.
Already reports of violent evictions are coming in. Two young people were reported to have been arrested in Choluteca and Military Police fired live rounds at the protesters. A vehicle owned by journalists covering the event were hit by bullets. There have also been evictions reported in El Progreso and several parts of Tegucigalpa.
Radio Progreso reports that its antenna and tower has been sabotaged which takes its radio in Tegucigalpa off the air. Radio Progreso's station in Tegucigalpa also got a strange visit from the state telecommunications body, CONATEL, on Friday as well. And then on the weekend, they started experiencing strange interruptions and problems with their signal.
The TSE announced last night that it finished counting the 4,753 actas of the 5,300 that were flagged by the Alliance as being suspicious. They started the count on Saturday. They announced that the trends favoring JOH remain the same - 42.98% for JOH and 41.38% for Nasralla. The U.S. Embassy released a statement for human rights day yesterday, but its largely believed that the Embassy is really pushing for the TSE to announce results which are likely to mean that they will announce JOH as the winner of the Presidential race. The TSE also updated the information of the total number of 'impugnaciones' or motions to challenge election results. The number is now at 150 motions.
In response to the TSE's weekend announcements, the Opposition Alliance has called a press conference at 11 am this morning.
Finally, Manuel Zelaya, Coordinator of the Alliance, published a letter that accuses the U.S. Embassy of pressuring to divide the Alliance. Yesterday, Mel and Nasralla spoke together to the crowds gathered to protest in Tegucigalpa, so no public evidence of a major split to date. Nasralla also did publicly respond to Zelaya's letter. It’s important to note that this is the time of closed door negotiations where Nasralla would be under significant pressure from international institutions, specifically the U.S. Embassy.
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What to do? – These are U.S. and Canadian problems
Don’t write letters of protest to the regime that is allied with and empowered by its political, military and economic dealings with the “international community”. Through our denunciations and activism, we have to make this “international community” –particularly the U.S. and Canada– accountable for their actions.
If political and legal accountability is not brought to bear on the military, economic and political backers of the Honduran regime, the repression, corruption and impunity – and suffering of the Honduran people - will not stop.
U.S.: In the U.S., call the Capital Switchboard to contact your Senators and Representatives: (202) 224-3121. Get their phone numbers and email addresses; send them copies of this and other information; politely insist that they agree to the demands below; share your efforts with the media, family, friends and networks.
Canada: In Canada, find your MP by entering your postal code on this page: http://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members. Get their phone numbers and email addresses; send them copies of this and other information; politely insist that they agree to the demands below; share your efforts with the media, family, friends and networks.
Short term: U.S. and Canadian governments and elected politicians must:
- condemn the multiple acts of electoral fraud carried out by government of Juan Orlando Hernandez;
- condemn the acts of police and military repression against anti-electoral fraud protesters and other citizens;
- state that the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez will be held accountable for all electoral fraud and repression taking place;
- suspend all economic, military and police related relations with the corrupt government in power;
- advocate for a complete recount of ALL votes, carried out under full national and international supervision, or for a new run-off election held under full national and international supervision.
Medium and longer term: There must be legislative and senate inquiries in the U.S. and Canada into the causes of Honduras’ endemic repression and exploitation, corruption and impunity, with specific focus on the role played by the U.S. and Canadian governments:
- supporting the 2009 military coup;
- supporting and legitimizing fraudulent and violent elections in 2009, 2013 and 2017 (though the 2017 elections remain unresolved);
- supporting the expansion of corporate interests in Honduras (sectors of mining, garment “sweatshop” industry, bananas, hydro-electric dams, tourism, etc.), while turning a blind eye to and – in effect – benefitting from repression, fraud, corruption and impunity.
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More information / Get involved
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Tax-Deductible Donations (Canada & U.S.) – Emergency relief funds
As the Honduran people courageously protest and say no to electoral fraud and repression, they are suffering the consequences of military and police repression. Rights Action is sending relief funds to our long-term partner groups in Honduras -COPINH and OFRANEH- and other community groups for their community development, environmental and human rights defense work, and their emergency work in response to electoral fraud and repression. Make check payable to "Rights Action" and mail to:
- U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
- Canada: (Box 552) 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
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Tax Deductible Donations
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Make check payable to "Rights Action" and mail to:
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