One-Year Anniversary of Coup in Honduras

Today, on the first anniversary of the coup that ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, thousands mobilize across Honduras to attend the massive marches and demonstrations organized by the National Front of Popular Resistance (FNRP).  While the US continues to fully support the coup regime in Honduras, thousands of Hondurans have risen to the occasion in defense of their nation.  The FNRP today continues to call for a national constitutional assembly that would structurally change the power dynamics of the country, giving all of society a free and fair voice.

Today’s marches and rallies commemorating the first anniversary of the June 28, 2009 coup are expected to receive very little media coverage, as have most of the human rights violations that have taken place following Zelaya’s ouster.  The international community, including some members of the US Congress, shares the belief that the number of assassinations, rapes, tortures, and media censorship in Honduras is not being adequately covered or seriously taken in to consideration.  In a June 24, 2010 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, twenty-seven members of Congress asked the State Department to make a prompt assessment of what is occurring in Honduras with regards to human and political rights.  In a March 2010 visit to Honduras, Secretary Clinton urged Latin American nations to recognized Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo who came to power after the fraudulent November presidential elections.  In June 2010, Clinton unsuccessfully called on the Organization of American States to reinstate Honduras all the while claiming it had made enough progress on human rights violations and restoring democracy since Lobo took office in January 2010.  

Human rights observer delegations from around the world including the US will also be in attendance in Honduras reporting back on the events and actions throughout the day.  Delegations comprised of US activists organized by the Quixote Center, Rights Action, and La Voz de los de Abajo are all accompanying the Honduran people in today’s national marches.  Reports received this morning from our partners have expressed fear of violence against the peaceful demonstrations, stating members of the national police were threatening to attack the crowds with tear gas if they did not retreat.  Thankfully, the police did not follow through with their threats and the actions as reported until now have continued without violence.    

For more background, see The Nation's June 30, 2010 article, Crisis of Legitimacy in Honduras?, by Dana Frank.