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Honduras: News & Updates

Honduras did not experience civil war in the 1980s, but its geography (bordering El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) made it a key location for US military operations: training Salvadoran soldiers, a base for Nicaraguan contras, military exercises for US troops. The notorious Honduran death squad Battalion 316 was created, funded and trained by the US. The state-sponsored terror resulted in the forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of approximately 200 people during the 1980s. Many more were abducted and tortured. The 2009 military coup d’etat spawned a resurgence of state repression against the civilian population that continues today.

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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras, 10/1/2019
October 1, 2019
‌On September‌ ‌22,‌ ‌agents‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Police‌ ‌Investigation‌ ‌Directorate‌ ‌(DPI)‌ arrived at the home ‌of‌ ‌María‌ ‌Concepción‌ ‌Hernández‌ ‌with‌ ‌an‌ ‌arrest‌ ‌warrant, and‌ ‌took her to a jail in Amapala municipality. She is accused of the ‌crime‌ ‌of‌ ‌usurpation‌ ‌of‌ ‌land‌. For many years, landowner ‌Jorge‌ ‌Cassis‌ ‌Leiva has ‌harassed‌ ‌and‌ ‌threatened‌ ‌the‌ ‌inhabitants‌ ‌of‌ ‌Playa‌ ‌Blanca,‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zacate‌ ‌Grande‌ peninsula in the Gulf of Fonseca.‌ ‌ Her family has been the victim of previous attacks by landowner ‌Jorge‌ ‌Cassis‌ ‌Leiva. In February, Sabino González, an employee of Cassis, attacked Santos Hernández, the domestic partner of ‌María‌ ‌Concepción‌ ‌Hernández, sending him to the hospital with head and leg injuries.
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Event
Latin America film series at BW
September 26, 2019 to September 28, 2019
The Festival de Cine Latinoamericano celebrates Hispanic Heritage month with four films from Latin America, receptions and community dialogues. IRTF will participate in a panel discussion following the screening of The Wall on Saturday, Sep 28, at Art House, 3119 Denison Ave, Cleveland 44109. All screenings and events, including receptions, are free and open to the public.
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Event
The Wall - film and discussion
September 28, 2019
After a screening of The Wall (55min doc.), IRTF participates in a panel discussion about current immigration enforcement policies, including the vulnerability of DACA and TPS recipients. Held at Art House, 3119 Denison Ave., Cleveland 44109. Free and open to the public.
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News Article
War on drugs has helped cocaine traffickers conquer swathes of Central America
September 26, 2019

The US spends almost $5B a year attempting to intercept shipments of illegal drugs from Central America, but despite the enormous outlay, the quantities of cocaine delivered to the country have continued to rise. A new study comes to drastic results...

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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras, 9/26/2019
September 26, 2019
We are deeply concerned about police attacks on human rights observers Elizabeth Medina, Human Rights Coordinator for Without Borders, and Katherin Cruz Cerrato, a member of the National Network of Human Rights Defenders in Honduras. On September 17, Elizabeth Medina and Katherin Cruz Cerrato were documenting repression against peaceful protests organized in various parts of Tegucigalpa by village communities that oppose the Santa María housing project, which threatens the water resources of La Tigra National Park. The police used firearms and tear gas indiscriminately and excessively; consequently, at least two people were injured by gunshot and dozens affected by the tear gas.
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News Article
Hounded: Demonstrators decry Greyhound’s cooperation with ICE
September 25, 2019

The Border Patrol (tens of thousands of federal police agents who constitute the law enforcement force arm of US Border and Customs Protection) want to have free access to Greyhound vehicles. Greyhound says they are legally bound to let these federal police onto their buses. The ACLU and other civil rights groups disagree. They point out that Greyhound DOES have the right to refuse entry to Border Patrol agents under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure.

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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras 9/23/2019
September 23, 2019
Miguel Ángel Tróchez, a television reporter from Channel 24 (Paradise TV) has faced threats and attack in attempt of extortion and intimidation; however, the authorities are have dismissed his pleas for protection, arguing that there is no link between Miguel’s position as a journalist and the threats and attacks launched against him. During one of the attacks, Miguel’s car was lit on fire.
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RRN Letter
RRN Letter: Honduras, 9/22/2019
September 22, 2019
Edgar Joel Aguilar is the third journalist murdered this year in Honduras.
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RRN Case Update
RRN Case Update: RRN 2019 - urgent human rights cases
August 22, 2019
RRN case summaries at a glance
On behalf of our 190 Rapid Response Network members, IRTF volunteers write and send six letters each month to government officials in southern Mexico, Colombia, and Central America (with copies to officials in the US). Who is being targeted? indigenous and Afro-descendant leaders, labor organizers, LGBTI rights defenders, women’s rights defenders, journalists, environmental defenders, and others. By signing our names to these crucial letters, human rights crimes are brought to light, perpetrators are brought to justice and lives are spared. Our solidarity is more important than ever. Together, our voices do make a difference.
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News Article
The Student Movement Standing up to the Honduran Regime
August 20, 2019
The student movement is diverse, accommodating a range of ideologies and tactics. This year it has intensified as wider movements against President Hernández’s attempts to privatize the health and education sectors have grown. Massive street protests have been led by La Plataforma para la Defensa de la Salud y Educación (Platform for the Defense of Health and Education), made up of various unions with more than seventy thousand combined members. Despite attacks by the staunchly pro-regime media, La Plataforma achieved a huge victory in June when Hernández backed down and repealed the law. It was a watershed moment of popular power against a regime that needed to deploy the military, when the police alone could not repress the movement.
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