The Honduras Solidarity Network Congratulates Miriam Miranda and OFRANEH on Winning the 45th Annual Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award*

*El español sigue despues del ingles

For Immediate Release October 12, 2021 – Contact: Victoria Cervantes (514) 606-1153, Karen Spring 504-9584-8572(whatsapp).

The Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN) in North America congratulates the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) and its Coordinator Miriam Miranda as they receive the 45th Annual Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award from the Institute for Policy Studies on October 13, 2021.  

We celebrate this award for OFRANEH, which has worked for more than 40 years to defend the human, civil, social and cultural rights of the Garifuna people in Honduras. The Garifuna are an Afro-Indigenous group whose rights as such are recognized in international and Honduran law, yet they face threats and violence aimed at displacing them from their territories in Northern Honduras and destroying their existence as a people. 

Since the 2009 coup d’etat, with the consolidation of dictatorship in Honduras, OFRANEH has confronted an escalation of the attempt to eliminate the Garifuna people, and ever more aggressive challenges from government militarization and government backed land-grabbing by agribusiness, tourist mega-projects, and neo-liberal schemes like the Charter City/ Special Employment and  Development Zones (ZEDES).  In recent years OFRANEH has reported dozens of violent attacks and more than 20 suspicious deaths or assassinations. On July 18th, 2020, 4 young Garifuna leaders were kidnapped and forcibly disappeared by police.  All of these crimes have been committed with impunity. 

Miriam Miranda’s leadership in OFRANEH during these years has won recognition for courage and vision as she has organized with the Garifuna communities and in collaboration with the country-wide movements in resistance to the dictatorship. Miriam has been arrested, beaten, kidnapped by narco traffickers and she faces continuous threats. Yet she remains active and outspoken in the fight for the right of people to live in dignity in their country and territory without oppression and without forced migration. 

The Letelier-Moffitt Prize is especially significant for Hondurans, who suffered a coup in 2009, given its founding in commemoration of Orlando Letelier and Ronnie Moffitt who fought to defend human rights against the violent US supported coup in Chile 1973. 

The Honduras Solidarity Network recognizes the courage and the inspiration of the resistance of OFRANEH and Miriam Miranda for communities under attack around the world.   We also thank  IPS for its work to bring truth to light and to celebrate those who are fighting for justice. 

Article In These Times Viewpoint by Miriam Miranda: Afro-Indigenous People in Honduras Are Being forcibly Displaced. Washington is Complicit https://inthesetimes.com/authors/miriam-miranda

IPS Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award

Honduras Solidarity Network

Comunicado de Prensa- October 11, 2021  

Contactos: Victoria Cervantes (514) 606-1153  

Karen Spring +504-9584-8572

honsolnetwork@gmail.com

La Red de Solidaridad de Honduras felicita a Miriam Miranda y OFRANEH por ganar el 45 ° Premio Anual de Derechos Humanos Letelier-Moffitt

Comunicado de Prensa 12 de Octubre 2021 – Red de Solidaridad con Honduras (HSN)

Contactos: Victoria Cervantes (514) 606-1153, Karen Spring 504-9584-8572(whatsapp).

La Red de Solidaridad de Honduras (HSN) en América del Norte felicita a la Organización Fraternal Negra de Honduras (OFRANEH) y a su Coordinadora Miriam Miranda al recibir el 45.o Premio Anual de Derechos Humanos Letelier-Moffitt del Instituto de Estudios Políticos (IPS) el 13 de octubre de 2021.

Celebramos este premio para la OFRANEH, que ha trabajado durante más de 40 años en la defensa de los derechos humanos, civiles, sociales y culturales del pueblo garífuna en Honduras. Los garífunas son un grupo afro-indígena cuyos derechos como tales están reconocidos por leyes internacionales y hondureñas, pero todavía enfrentan amenazas y violencia dirigidas a desplazarlos de sus territorios en el norte de Honduras y destruir su existencia como pueblo.

Desde el golpe de Estado de 2009, con la consolidación de la dictadura en Honduras, OFRANEH ha enfrentado una escalada del intento de eliminar al pueblo garífuna, y desafíos cada vez más agresivos de la militarización del gobierno y el acaparamiento de tierras por parte de la agroindustria, los mega- proyectos y esquemas neoliberales como la Ciudad Charter / Zonas Especiales de Empleo y Desarrollo (ZEDES) todos los intentos respaldados por el gobierno. En los últimos años, la OFRANEH ha informado de decenas de ataques violentos y más de 20 muertes o asesinatos sospechosos. El 18 de julio de 2020, 4 jóvenes líderes garífunas fueron secuestrados y desaparecidos por la policía. Todos estos crímenes se han cometido con impunidad.

El liderazgo de Miriam Miranda en OFRANEH durante estos años ha ganado reconocimiento por su valentía y visión, ya que se ha organizado con las comunidades garífunas y en colaboración con los movimientos nacionales de resistencia a la dictadura. Miriam ha sido arrestada, golpeada, secuestrada por narcotraficantes y enfrenta continuas amenazas. Sin embargo, se mantiene activa y franca en la lucha por el derecho de las personas a vivir con dignidad en su país y territorio sin opresión y sin migración forzada.

El Premio Letelier-Moffitt es especialmente significativo para los hondureños, que sufrieron un golpe de Estado en 2009, dada su fundación en conmemoración de Orlando Letelier y Ronnie Moffitt, quienes lucharon por defender los derechos humanos contra el violento golpe de Estado apoyado por Estados Unidos en Chile 1973.

La Red de Solidaridad de Honduras reconoce el coraje y la inspiración de la resistencia de OFRANEH y Miriam Miranda por las comunidades atacadas en todo el mundo. También agradecemos a IPS su trabajo para sacar a la luz la verdad y celebrar a quienes luchan por la justicia.

Article In These Times Viewpoint by Miriam Miranda: Afro-Indigenous People in Honduras Are Being forcibly Displaced. Washington is Complicit

IPS Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award

Honduras Solidarity Network

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Former Peace Corps Volunteers’ Letter to Vice President Harris on Honduras

Honduras Solidarity Network is sharing a letter from former Peace Corps volunteers to Honduras to Vice President Harris that urges the US to stop funding militarization and supporting corruption, to consult with and listen to the Honduran people including its indigenous and poor communities and not to continue development and security policies that only deepen the crisis and do not address the root causes nor the real immediate needs of the people in Honduras. The signers also support the three Honduran human rights and anti-corruption bills being introduced in the US Senate and House of Representative. For more information on those bills check out HSN members’ websites. https://soaw.org/hondurasadvocacy https://www.solidaritycollective.org/bertacaceresact https://www.solidaritycollective.org/human-rights-honduras     

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Support the Honduras Solidarity Network

Due to a change in the way the Honduras Solidarity Network’s work has been funded, we are now leading a fundraising campaign to support the work of our in-country coordinator, Karen Spring. We are relying on you and our broad network to give generously in solidarity with the people of Honduras.

Are you able to contribute? Click here to support!

Honduras is at a critical juncture right now, and it is unthinkable that the US/Canada Honduras Solidarity Network could be unable to honor Karen’s work and support our compañerxs in the country:

  • Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez’ brother, Tony, was just sentenced to life in prison in New York as a Drug Kingpin. Compelling evidence was given at the trial that the President himself benefited from and is involved in the drug trade. Karen attended the whole trial and provided live updates from the court on HSN’s twitter account @HondurasSol and in her blog Aquí Abajo.
  • The criminal trials with trumped up charges against Edwin Espinal, Raul Alvarez and other Honduran Political Prisoners for actions during protests or for the defense of the environment are about to open in Honduras.
  • The Covid-19 epidemic is raging in Honduras with little action on the part of the government.
  • Migrant caravans are fleeing drug violence, government repression, and the lack of government response to the back-to-back hurricanes last fall. HSN continues to distribute hurricane aid through established social movements while the government continues to steal official international aid.

We ask for your financial support to keep our work on the ground going. Please give as generously as you can. If we come together, we can achieve the goal of $30,000 and continue our work through the summer.

Can you give to the Honduras Solidarity Network? We are relying on you to contribute now so we can continue our work through the summer.

Thank you,

The Honduras Solidarity Network


PS.  Check out Karen’s new podcast, Honduras Now. The easy-to-access audio recordings will inform and activate even those of us with long commutes, busy schedules, and never-ending in-boxes!

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!Garifuna Lives Matter – Las Vidas Garifunas Importan!

Sign-on letter with 222 organizations and distinguished persons support Garifuna lives in Honduras.

Carta firmada por 222 organizaciones apoyando a las Vidas Garifunas en Honduras.

English follows the Spanish   

16 Diciembre 2020

Siguiendo el liderazgo de OFRANEH y de las comunidades Garifuna de Honduras, la Red de Solidaridad con Honduras y diferentes organizaciones internacionales de todo el mundo, exigemos la inmediata presentacion con vida de Snider Centeno, Suami Mejia, Milton Martinez, Gerardo Rochez y Junior Juarez, desapaerecidos hace 5 meses, y fin a la violencia en contra de las comunidades Garifunas en Honduras. !Basta ya de violencia y represion! Continuacion a la carta aqui

December 16, 2020

Following the leadership of OFRANEH and the Garifuna communities in Honduras, the Honduras Solidarity Network and different international organizations around the world demand the immediate return of Snider Centeno, Suami Mejia, Milton Martinez, Gerardo Rochez and Junior Juarez, disappeared 5 months ago, and an end to the violence against the Garifuna communities in Honduras. Stop all violence and repression! Continue here to the complete letter.

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Urgent Hurricane Solidarity with the Honduran People

The Honduras Solidarity Network is collecting donations for Hurricane Eta solidarity with the grassroots and community organizations directly working in rescue, food, shelter and transportation relief to thousands of people affected by the flooding. 100% of money collected goes to solidarity.

Please follow this link to read more and to donate.

https://afgj.salsalabs.org/2020hondurashurricaneeta/index.html

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STOP the Campaign of Terror Against Honduras’ Garifuna People

Honduras Solidarity Network in the US and Canada – August 24, 2020

On July 18th, Snider Centeno, Suami Mejia, Milton Martinez and Gerardo Rochez all young Afro-Indigenous Garifuna land defenders and another person were forcibly disappeared from the town of Triunfo de la Cruz in Honduras.  For more than a month the defenders’ community and organization, OFRANEH (Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras), have denounced and protested the disappearances, the continued attacks on the Garifuna communities and the government’s biased and incomplete investigation. International voices have also been raised in defense of the Indigenous land defenders, including protests by Garifuna organizations in the US.and other countries. The Inter-American Human Rights Court reiterated its previous ruling in favor of the Garifuna communities and insisted that the Honduran regime comply with the ruling, and the United Nations has called on the Honduran government to take urgent actions to find the men.

The Honduran regime has repressed and threatened the communities and the police force conducting the investigation into the kidnapping  is the Bureau of Police Investigation  known as the DPI (Spanish acronym), but the DPI itself is implicated in these forced disappearances since the armed kidnappers were wearing police issue bullet proof vests marked as DPI. 

The community Triunfo de la Cruz is emblematic of the ongoing Garifuna people’s struggle to defend their territories against seizure by the government and both Honduran and international developers  as well as organized crime with ties to both. All of them seek to exploit the coastal resources and displace the Garifuna people. In 2015 the Inter-American Human Rights Court (IACHR) ruled in favor of Triunfo de la Cruz  and Punta Piedra communities against the Honduran government. The IACHR ordered the Honduran State to make reparations for the harm they committed against Garifuna communities, to return the stolen land, to end impunity for the crimes committed against these communities throughout the decades of the 80’s and 90’s. However, the government has ignored the court’s orders.  In fact, violence and attempts to displace the Garifuna people have intensified. In 2019 alone, at least 19 Garifuna were murdered. In June, 2020 Antonio Bernandez, a leader in the community of Punta Piedra was assassinated. Now, five more people, 4 of them Garifuna leaders, have been disappeared. 

As pressure on the Honduran dictatorship over the forced disappearances has grown, a vicious smear campaign was launched against the disappeared men, and their communities and organization, using fake photo montages and social media to accuse the men of being  part of organized crime. This tactic has been used  time and time again by the Honduran narco government to cover up for the murders and disappearances of all the assassinated Garifuna activists, and to unjustly jail and harass community leaders. It is especially outrageous  given that the de facto President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, has been named a co-conspirator by the New York prosecutors in the case of  his brother Tony who was convicted of narcotics trafficking; prosecutors are pursuing charges against many others in his government circles. 

The Honduras Solidarity Network stands in  support of OFRANEH  and the Garifuna communities in Honduras against the campaign by the Honduran regime and unscrupulous developers to displace the Garifuna and turn their territories into mono-culture agriculture, tourist resorts and extractive projects.  

We Join the Garifuna Communities in Demanding: 

  • The return of the disappeared men alive. 
  • A serious and impartial investigation that does not include the DPI  into the disappearance of the 5 men from Triunfo de la Cruz. 
  • Compliance with the orders of the Inter-American Human Rights Court for justice for Triunfo de la Cruz and Punta Piedra
  • An end to all attempts to displace Garifuna communities and all the violence and harassment against communities and organizations

We demand that the governments of the US and Canada end all support for the regime of Juan Orlando Hernandez and insist on compliance with the Inter-American Human RIghts Court  ruling in favor of the Garifuna communities. 

Inter-American Human Rights Court original press statement Spanish

https://www.facebook.com/HondurasSolidarityNetwork

Twitter: @hondurasol

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Honduras 2009 – 2020   Dictatorship, Resistance and Solidarity

June 28, 2020 – Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN)

El español sigue debajo del ingles

Eleven years ago, Honduras was turned upside down by a military/political coup against President Manuel Zelaya Rosales. This coup was strongly supported by the US Government led by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Canadian government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Peter Kent. 

The coup pushed aside many reforms that had been made or begun by President Zelaya in consultation with Honduran social movements such as an increase in minimum wage, land reform, gender equality, increased rights for indigenous communities and efforts to reduce the costs of living for the poor. The goal of the coup was also to crush the hopes for a deeper change in Honduras and the refoundation of the country through constitutional change and a popular constituent assembly.  

The response of the people and their organizations from the Garifuna Caribbean coast, to the Lenca people’s mountains, from campesino communities across the country, to urban youth, trade unions, women’s and LGBTI organizations was to take to the  streets in massive numbers starting the day of the coup, June 28, 2009.

Over the last 11 years, Hondurans have returned to the streets over and over again, despite massive migrations,  electoral frauds, assassinations, disappearances, repression, and now, in the 11th year of the coup, a narco-dictatorship during a pandemic. 

Since the coup, some things have been constant from the dictatorship: militarization, criminalization of activists, neoliberal privatizations and the growth of an extraction economy.  All this with U.S.-trained police, military police and military on the streets, violently abusing Hondurans for everything from protesting to being on the street without a face mask. 

There are still 11 political prisoners held in pretrial detention and hundreds who still face serious charges from the 2017 electoral fraud protests in 2017 and 2018.  Impunity for the powerful and political elite continues with no justice and virtually no investigations of the hundreds of assassinations/disappearances from 2009 to 2020. 

The highest profile assassination since the coup, that of indigenous leader Berta Caceres still has not seen the prosecution of the intellectual authors or financiers of her murder; her organization and COPINH’s communities continue to be threatened and harassed. In 2019-2020 at least 11 Garifuna activists were assassinated in impunity.  Journalists are threatened and physically attacked and members of the political opposition are continually harassed and threatened. The military has been given control of significant monies for the agricultural sector while campesinos are killed, arrested and evicted, also in impunity. 

In 2020, the criminal nature of Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH)’s dictatorship is now more exposed than ever with high profile prosecutions in New York of his brother and their drug trafficking business associates. But, despite the blatant and documented violations of human rights, of corruption, and of drug trafficking,  the US  government continues its public, economic and military support for Hernandez.  The Canadian government refuses to speak or publicly denounce the abuses committed by JOH. 

Meanwhile, JOH has taken advantage of the COVID19 epidemic to further militarize the country, giving the army more power and restricting protests, and destroying the livelihood of the poor (more than 60% of the population) while restricting the small amounts of relief funds to those who support his political party. 

Still, resistance continues and the people continue to organize. Over the years, new coalitions and movements have formed and joined the resistance in a fight against dictatorship. This fight continues in the streets, the countryside and in the electoral realm. 

The Honduras Solidarity Network has been standing with the Honduran people’s resistance since 2009.  We continue to fight for the US government and the Canadian government to stop supporting dictatorship and any use of our tax dollars for violence in Honduras. One tool in that fight in the US is our continued support for the Berta Caceres Human Rights in Honduras Act in the House of Representatives.   Our member organizations continue to demand an end to impunity in Honduras and justice for Berta Caceres and for all those assassinated and disappeared or imprisoned and persecuted by the dictatorship. We accompany the struggles against mining, megaprojects and for land rights and all the demands of the Honduran people and their organizations that fight for a new, transformed, and ‘refounded’ Honduras. 

For more historical and recent information on Honduran resistance and solidarity see the HSN website and its links to member organization sites and other information. 

Hondurassolidarity.org  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HondurasSolidarityNetwork

Twitter: @hondurassol

Honduras 2009 – 2020  

Dictadura, Resistencia y Solidaridad

28 de Junio 2020 – Red de Solidaridad con Honduras (HSN) 

Hace once años, Honduras se puso de cabeza por un golpe político-militar contra el Presidente Manuel Zelaya Rosales. Este golpe recibió un fuerte apoyo del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos, encabezado por el Presidente Barack Obama y la Secretaria de Estado Hillary Clinton, y del Gobierno del Canadá, encabezado por el Primer Ministro Stephen Harper y el Ministro de Estado de Relaciones Exteriores Peter Kent.

El golpe hizo a un lado muchas reformas iniciadas por el Presidente Zelaya en consulta con los movimientos sociales hondureños, como el aumento del salario mínimo, la reforma agraria, la igualdad de género, el aumento de los derechos de las comunidades indígenas y los esfuerzos para reducir el costo de vida de los pobres. El golpe también tenía la meta de aplastar las esperanzas de un cambio más profundo en Honduras y la refundación del país a través de un cambio constitucional y una asamblea popular constituyente.  

La respuesta del pueblo y sus organizaciones de la costa caribeña garífuna, de las montañas del pueblo lenca, de las comunidades campesinas de todo el país, de la juventud urbana, de los sindicatos y de las organizaciones de mujeres y LGBTI fue tomar las calles en forma masiva a partir del día del golpe, el 28 de junio de 2009.

En los últimos 11 años, el pueblo hondureño ha vuelto a las calles una y otra vez a pesar de las migraciones masivas, los fraudes electorales, los asesinatos, las desapariciones, la represión y ahora, en el 11 año del golpe, una narco-dictadura durante una pandemia.

Desde el golpe, algunas cosas han sido constantes de la dictadura: la militarización, la criminalización de los activistas, las privatizaciones neoliberales y el crecimiento de una economía de extracción.  Todo esto con la policía entrenada por los Estados Unidos, la policía militar y los militares en las calles, abusando violentamente de los hondureños para todo, desde protestar hasta estar en la calle sin cubrebocas.

Todavía hay 11 presos políticos en prisión preventiva y cientos de personas que todavía enfrentan graves cargos por las protestas en contra del fraude electoral en 2017 y 2018.  La impunidad de los poderosos y la élite política continúa sin que se haga justicia y prácticamente sin que se investiguen los cientos de asesinatos y desapariciones que se produjeron entre 2009 y 2020. El asesinato de más alto perfil desde el golpe, el de la líder indígena Berta Cáceres, aún no ha visto acción en contra de los autores intelectuales o financieros de su asesinato. COPINH y sus comunidades siguen siendo amenazadas y acosadas. Entre 2019 y 2020, al menos 11 activistas garífunas fueron asesinados en la impunidad.  Los periodistas son amenazados y agredidos físicamente, y los miembros de la oposición política son acosados y amenazados continuamente. Se ha dado a los militares el control de importantes sumas de dinero para el sector agrícola, mientras que los campesinos son asesinados, detenidos y desalojados, también en la impunidad.

En 2020, la naturaleza criminal de la dictadura de Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH) está ahora más expuesta que nunca con los juicios en Nueva York en contra de su hermano y sus socios en el negocio del narcotráfico. Pero, a pesar de las flagrantes y documentadas violaciones de los derechos humanos, de la corrupción y del narcotráfico, el gobierno de los Estados Unidos continúa su apoyo público, económico y militar a Hernández.  El gobierno canadiense se niega a hablar o a denunciar públicamente los abusos cometidos por JOH. Mientras tanto, JOH ha aprovechado la epidemia de COVID-19 para militarizar aún más el país, proveyendo de más poder al ejército, restringiendo las protestas y destruyendo los medios de vida de los pobres (más del 60% de la población), al tiempo que dirige las pequeñas cantidades de fondos de ayuda sólo para quienes apoyan a su partido político.

Aún así, la resistencia continúa y el pueblo sigue organizándose. A lo largo de los años, se han formado nuevas coaliciones y movimientos que se han unido a la resistencia en la lucha contra la dictadura. Esta lucha continúa en las calles, en el campo y en el ámbito electoral.

La Red de Solidaridad con Honduras ha estado al lado de la resistencia del pueblo hondureño desde 2009.  Seguimos luchando para que los gobiernos de los Estados Unidos y de Canadá dejen de apoyar la dictadura y cualquier uso de nuestros impuestos para promover la violencia en Honduras. Una herramienta en esa lucha dentro de los EE.UU. es nuestro continuo apoyo a la Ley por los Derechos Humanos en Honduras Berta Cáceres en la Cámara de Representantes. Los grupos miembros de la Red continúan exigiendo el fin de la impunidad en Honduras, justicia para Berta Cáceres y para todas aquellas personas asesinados, desaparecidos, encarcelados o perseguidos por la dictadura. Acompañamos las luchas contra la minería, los megaproyectos; por el derecho a la tierra, por todas las demandas del pueblo hondureño y de las organizaciones que trabajan por una Honduras nueva, transformada y refundada.

Para obtener más información histórica y reciente sobre la resistencia y la solidaridad con el pueblo hondureño, visite el sitio web de HSN, sus enlaces a los sitios de las organizaciones miembros y otra información.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HondurasSolidarityNetwork

Twitter: @hondurassol

https://www.hondurassolidarity.org

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WEBINAR WITH GARIFUNA LEADER MIRIAM MIRANDA!

WEBINAR WITH GARIFUNA LEADER MIRIAM MIRANDA! May 6th at 12 pm ET/ 9:00 am PT. REGISTER HERE: REGISTER HERE:…

Posted by Honduras Solidarity Network on Monday, May 4, 2020

May 6th at 12 pm ET/ 9:00 am PT. REGISTER HERE:
REGISTER HERE:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NP2Ls5IMSrKNCvxNYcH4iQ

The Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) & Garifuna communities In #Honduras are doing amazing work to build community, strengthen traditional healing practices & use of natural medicines & supporting one another during the #COVID19 pandemic

Join us this Wed, May 6th at 12 pm ET/9 am PT to hear from an incredible Garifuna leader and coordinator of OFRANEH, Miriam Miranda.

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Solidarity with the Honduran people in Pandemic Times:  COVID-19, Another Weapon in the Hands of the Dictatorship

March 30, 2020 —————-El Español Sigue Abajo

Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH) is using the very real dangers and fears of the coronavirus pandemic to militarize the country, justify acts of corruption, destroy and further privatize public services, repress dissent, and criminalize poverty. 

On March 15, 2020 without previous implementation of any minimal COVID-19 prevention measures, JOH implemented a nation-wide lockdown enforced by and managed by the Honduran military and police. The regime suspended numerous constitutional guarantees including the right to freedom of expression, freedom of movement, and freedom from arbitrary detention. The regime closed public spaces and many businesses, and in the name of enforcing the lockdown, has carried out hundreds of arrests. Some of these arrests have been politically-motivated. 

On March 17 in the southern city of Choluteca, the police surrounded the home of a well-known community activist, Aleyda Huete. The next day, Huete was released from jail after an international and national outcry against her arrest but still faces charges and death threats that are believed to grow out of her opposition to the JOH dictatorship. Journalists covering police evictions of the public markets are threatened to be put in government-run quarantine.  

The Honduran government has used the crisis to justify freeing at least one individual indicted and jailed on corruption charges and also named in connection to JOH’s brother, Tony Hernandez’s drug trafficking activities. This is while the government continues to ignore judicial motions and demands to free the eight Guapinol defenders and political prisoners that are at exceptional risk inside Honduran prisons. 

Over the last few days, the desperation of the population in rural and urban areas has led to increased government attacks and repression. At the best of times, 60% of Hondurans live in poverty and half of that number live in extreme poverty.  Approximately 70% of employment in Honduras is through the informal sector and with the closure of street markets, small, road-side vendors, streets and parks, an emergency life and death situation is growing across the country. 

With the extreme government-imposed measures, Hondurans are being forced to “lockdown and starve” and are unable to go to the streets in search of food, assistance, and whatever means to survive without facing arrest, harassment, and repression. As the well-known Honduran human rights organization COFADEH explained: “A curfew can’t be obeyed when people are dying of hunger.”  The already difficult economic, social, and political situation in Honduras has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and again, Hondurans are being forced to confront the illegitimate, U.S. and Canada-backed JOH regime in the most extreme circumstances. 

In early March, under the real threat posed by the global pandemic but when less than 3 COVID-19 cases were reported in the country at the time, the Honduran Congress used the crisis to approve over $420 million USD in alleged assistance to confront the crisis. In addition, the JOH government is requesting support from the international financial institutions that have turned a blind eye while feeding public corruption for several years. The Honduran Convergence Against Re-election fears that this money will never be audited and instead, used to line the pockets of the corrupt instead of addressing the public health crisis. As of March 29, there are 139 reported COVID-19 cases, 3 resulting deaths, and increasing economic and public health demands being made by the population. 

Despite the availability of emergency funds, the government’s response to the crisis has been to politicize food packages, delivering small amounts of food aid only to families on the National Party’s election roster. With growing indignation and desperation, people in several communities, municipalities, and urban neighbourhoods have taken to the streets and blocked roads, demanding that food and basic supplies be provided. These protests are met with repression, live bullets, tear gas, and arrests. In addition, physicians, medical residents, and healthcare workers have walked off the job and continue to complain of the complete lack of basic medical protective equipment in the largest public hospitals in the two major cities. These complaints add to the growing frustration of the intentional neglect of the public healthcare system which has been decimated by corrupt plundering and privatization efforts for several years. 

The JOH government’s corruption is well-documented whether it is theft of money designated for public health services that then found its way into JOH’s 2013 election funds or the bank accounts National Party officials and their family members accused of theft of public funds, fraud, etc. Hondurans are outraged by the evidence presented in U.S. Federal Courts in New York during court proceedings against JOH’s brother Tony Hernandez, his cousin, and other narcotics traffickers that link JOH directly to drug cartels in Honduras, and the fact that, despite this evidence and the blatant corruption and violations of human rights, JOH is still supported politically and financially by the U.S. and Canadian governments. 

The Honduras Solidarity Network stands with the Honduran people and organizations who call for an end to the repression and corruption and demand urgent funds and resources for healthcare, food, and water for the Honduran people. We also continue to stand with the people’s demands for an end to the U.S. and Canada-backed narco-dictatorship. Our governments must stop propping up an illegitimate and corrupt government in Honduras.   

For daily updates on the situation in Honduras including possible calls to action, please visit: 

Facebook: Honduras Solidarity Network Twitter: @hondurassol

 Solidaridad con el pueblo hondureño en tiempos de pandemia: COVID-19, otra arma en manos de la dictadura

30 de Marzo 2020

El régimen de Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH), respaldado por los Estados Unidos y Canadá, está manipulando el peligro y los temores muy reales a la pandemia del COVID-19 (Coronavirus) para militarizar el país, justificar actos de corrupción, destruir y privatizar aún más los servicios públicos, reprimir la disidencia y criminalizar la pobreza.

El 15 de marzo de 2020, sin haber aplicado previamente ninguna medida mínima de prevención del COVID-19, JOH ordenó al ejército y a la policía la aplicación y gestión de un toque de queda. Además, el régimen suspendió numerosas garantías constitucionales, entre ellas el derecho a la libertad de expresión, la libertad de movimiento y el derecho a no ser detenido arbitrariamente. El régimen cerró los espacios públicos y diversos negocios, y en nombre de la aplicación del toque de queda, ha llevado a cabo cientos de arrestos. Sin embargo, algunas de estas detenciones han sido por motivos políticos.

El 17 de marzo en la ciudad sureña de Choluteca, la policía rodeó la casa de la conocida activista comunitaria Aleyda Huete. Al día siguiente, Huete fue liberada de la cárcel después de la indignación internacional y nacional contra su arresto, pero todavía se enfrenta cargos y amenazas de muerte que podrían estar relacionadas con su oposición a la dictadura de la JOH. Los periodistas que cubren los desalojos policiales de los mercados públicos son amenazados con ser puestos en cuarentena administrada por el gobierno.

El gobierno hondureño ha utilizado la crisis para justificar la liberación de al menos un individuo acusado y encarcelado por cargos de corrupción, y que además fue vinculado a las actividades de narcotráfico de Tony Hernández, hermano de JOH.  Esto sucede en el contexto de las mociones y demandas judiciales para liberar a los ocho defensores de Guapinol y a los prisioneros políticos que enfrentan un riesgo excepcional dentro de las prisiones hondureñas.

En los últimos días, la desesperación de la población en las zonas rurales y urbanas han originado un aumento de los ataques y la represión gubernamental. El 60% de los hondureños vive en la pobreza y la mitad de ese número vive en la extrema pobreza.  Aproximadamente el 70% del empleo en Honduras se da en el sector informal. Con el cierre de los mercados callejeros, de pequeños negocios ambulantes, las calles y los parques, una situación de vida o muerte está surgiendo en todo el país.

Con las medidas extremas impuestas por el gobierno, los hondureños se ven obligados a “encerrarse y morir de hambre”: no pueden salir a las calles en busca de comida, asistencia o de algún medio para sobrevivir sin tener que enfrentar la detención, el acoso y la represión. Como explicó la conocida organización hondureña de derechos humanos COFADEH: “No se puede obedecer el toque de queda cuando la gente se muere de hambre”.  La ya de por sí difícil situación económica, social y política de Honduras se ha visto exacerbada por la pandemia y, una vez más, los hondureños se ven obligados a enfrentarse al ilegítimo régimen de JOH, respaldado por los Estados Unidos y el Canadá, en las circunstancias más extremas.

A principios de marzo, ante la amenaza real que representaba la pandemia mundial, pero cuando en ese momento sólo se registraban menos de 3 casos de COVID-19 en el país, el Congreso hondureño aprovechó la crisis para aprobar más de 420 millones de dólares para supuesta asistencia para enfrentar la crisis. Además, el gobierno de JOH está solicitando apoyo a instituciones financieras internacionales que se han hecho de la vista gorda mientras alimentan la corrupción pública durante varios años. La Convergencia Hondureña contra la Reelección teme que este dinero nunca sea auditado y que, por el contrario, se utilice para llenar los bolsillos de los corruptos en lugar de abordar la crisis de salud pública. Hasta el 29 de marzo, se han reportado 139 casos de COVID-19, 3 muertes, y un aumento en las demandas económicas y de salud pública por parte de la población.

A pesar de la disponibilidad de fondos de emergencia, la respuesta del gobierno a la crisis ha sido politizar los paquetes de alimentos, entregando pequeñas cantidades de ayuda sólo a las familias que figuran en la base electoral del Partido Nacional. Con creciente indignación y desesperación, la población de varias comunidades, municipios y barrios urbanos se ha lanzado a las calles y ha bloqueado las carreteras para exigir que se les proporcionen alimentos y suministros básicos. Estas protestas han sido respondidas con represión, balas vivas, gases lacrimógenos y detenciones. Además, los médicos, los residentes médicos y trabajadores de la salud en general han abandonado sus trabajos y siguen denunciando la falta total de equipo básico de protección en los hospitales públicos más grandes de las dos ciudades principales. Estas quejas se suman a la creciente frustración por el descuido intencional del sistema de salud pública, el cual ha sido diezmado por la corrupción y los esfuerzos de privatización durante varios años.

La corrupción del gobierno de la JOH está bien documentada, ya sea el robo de dinero destinado a los servicios de salud pública que luego se encuentra en los fondos de las elecciones de 2013 de JOH o las cuentas bancarias de funcionarios del Partido Nacional y sus familiares acusados de robo de fondos públicos, fraude, etc. Los hondureños están indignados por las pruebas presentadas en los tribunales federales de los Estados Unidos en Nueva York durante los procedimientos judiciales en contra de Tony Hernández, hermano de JOH, su primo y otros narcotraficantes que vinculan al presidente directamente con cárteles de la droga en Honduras, y por el hecho de que, a pesar de estas pruebas y de la flagrante corrupción y las violaciones de los derechos humanos, JOH sigue contando con el apoyo político y financiero de los gobiernos de los Estados Unidos y Canadá.

La Red de Solidaridad con Honduras se solidariza con el pueblo y las organizaciones hondureñas que piden que se ponga fin a la represión y la corrupción, y que exigen fondos y recursos urgentes para la atención de la salud, la alimentación y suministros de agua para la población. También seguimos apoyando las demandas del pueblo para que se ponga fin a la narco-dictadura respaldada por los Estados Unidos y Canadá. Nuestros gobiernos deben dejar de apoyar a un gobierno ilegítimo y corrupto en Honduras.  

Para obtener información actualizada sobre la situación en Honduras, incluyendo llamadas a la acción, por favor visite:

Facebook: Honduras Solidarity Network

Twitter: @hondurassol

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MARCH 12 – WEBINAR “Justice for Berta”

Four years after Berta Cáceres’ murder, the struggle for justice for her and against the US and Canadian-backed dictatorship in Honduras continues. join us to learn about the struggle to bring to justice the highest levels of the intellectual authors of Berta Cáceres’s assassination and to permanently close the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project that Berta and Copinh Intibucá fought against in the Rio Blanco community.

Thursday, March 12, 5:00 pm PT/ 6:00 pm MT/ 7:00 pm CT/ 8:00 pm ET.

Visit this link to register:

 https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0TSzNTtERS2ruGbsVbMV3Q

For Spanish to English interpretation call (425) 436-6335 / Access Code 580194

Facebook live available the day of the event.

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