Friday, December 1, 2017

Military chases group, beats man, threatens human rights observer / Militares persiguen grupo, golpean a un hombre, amenazan a observador internacional de derechos humanos

Military chases group of mostly young women, beats man with them
[Español abajo]

Tegucigalpa, Honduras - At 6:20pm on November 30th, 2017 along the Boulevard Centroamérica in Tegucigalpa three members of the La Voz de los de Abajo international human r
Protester just after being beat by military
ights observation delegation saw a group of seven soldiers from the Honduran armed forces running a full speed after a group of 6 young women and one man, yelling “we’re going to get you, you’re done once we do you sons of bitches!” We ran after them and caught up with them in from of a gate to a home on the side of the road where they were in the midst of beating the man while his wife was pleading for his life. After hearing the shouts of “international human rights observers, leave them alone,” the military stopped, but one soldier started to swing his baton towards one of the international human rights observers aggressively, stopping halfway and then cursing before heading back down the hill. The man’s head was left bloodied and he and his wife and the other young women were all traumatized. As we accompanied them back down the hill, three security guards at a business along the route informed us that one of the soldiers had demanded they give him their shotgun, and when he refused, had his life threatened. Luckily, the security guards were behind a locked gates and the military decided to continue back down the hill and rejoin their regiment rather than try to force entrance.

Militares persiguen a grupo de mujeres y golpean a hombre que las acompaña


Tegucigalpa, Honduras – A las 6:20pm el 30 de noviembre del 2017, por la Boulevard Centroamérica en Tegucigalpa tres personas de la delegación internacional de derechos humanos de La Voz de los de Abajo vieron un grupo de siete soldados de las fuerzas armadas de Honduras quienes corrían a toda velocidad detrás de un grupo de 6 mujeres jóvenes y un hombre, gritándoles “¡Les vamos a agarrar hijos de puta, y cuando los tenemos están hechos!” Los perseguimos y los alcanzamos frente el portón de una casa al lado de la calle donde estaban en pleno proceso de golpear al hombre mientras su esposa les rogaba que no lo mataran. Después de oír los gritos de “¡Derechos humanos internacional, déjelos!” los militares pararon, pero uno de ellos hizo un movimiento agresivo con su bate como si iba a golpear a uno de los observadores de derechos humanos, deteniéndose poco antes de hacerlo y luego diciéndole groserías antes de volver a bajar la cuesta. La cabeza del hombre quedó sangriento y él, su esposa y las otras mujeres jóvenes estuvieron todas traumatizadas. Mientras les acompañamos al bajar la cuesta, tres guardias privadas de seguridad en la ruta nos informaron que uno de los soldados les habían exigido que le prestaran uno de sus fusiles, y que cuando se les negaron dicho uso, le amenazaron la vida. Por suerte, las guardias se encontraban detrás de un portón cerrado con candado y los militares decidieron seguir bajando en vez de tratar de entrar por la fuerza.


 


Military repeatedly threatens to “disappear or kill” detainee / Militares amenazan varias veces a detenido con desaparecerlo o asesinarlo

Military repeatedly threatens to “disappear or kill” detainee
[Español abajo]
 
Human rights observers request release of detainee
 Tegucigalpa, Honduras - On November 30th at approximately 3:00pm a man in his 20’s who had sought refuge in a private business across the street from the Instituto Nacional de Formación Profesional (INFOP) during a tear gas attack by military and police was dragged out of the business and detained in the INFOP by four soldiers. A protester also fleeing the gas attack who was witness to the detention informed the La Voz de los de Abajo human rights observation delegation, who made their way to the INFOP, confirmed the man’s detention and requested access to him. Two members of the group were able to enter and interview the detainee in private. He was clearly extremely traumatized and very nervous, and only shared that, “I hope they were joking, but they have been telling me they will disappear me or kill me.” Asked how many times, he replied, “lots.” None of the military present were able to confirm what the man was charged with or where they were planning on taking him. Finally, around 4:45pm, Major Padilla of the Honduran armed forces arrived and, after discussion with a representative from our international human rights observation group, agreed to release the detainee.

Human rights observer (left) asks for
release of detainee (standing, center)

Militares amenazan varias veces a detenido con desaparecerlo o asesinarlo


Tegucigalpa, Honduras – El 30 de noviembre aproximadamente a las 3pm, un hombre en sus años 20 quién se había refugiado en una empresa privada frente al Instituto Nacional de Formación Profesional (INFOP) durante una ataque con gases lacrimógenas de parte de los militares y la policía fue sacado a fuerzas y arrastrado hacia el INFOP por cual soldados. Un testigo quién también se huía de la gaseada informó a la delegación internacional de derechos humanos de La Voz de los de Abajo, quienes procedieron al INFOP, confirmaron la detención del hombre y pidieron acceso al mismo. Dos miembros del grupo lograron entrar y entrevistar al detenido. Él claramente se encontraba muy traumatizado y nervioso y compartió que, “Espero que estaban bromeando, pero me han estado diciendo que me van a desaparecer o asesinar.” Cuando lo preguntamos cuantas veces habían hecho dicha amenaza, respondió, “muchas.” Ningún de los soldados presentes pudieron confirmar las acusaciones en su contra ni donde lo iban a llevar. Finalmente, aproximadamente a las 4:45pm, el Mayor Padilla de las Feurzas Armadas de honduras llegó y, después de una discusión con un representante de nuestro grupo de observadores internacionales de derechos humanos, aceptó soltar y despachar al detenido.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Anti-Fraud Protesters and Observers Gassed Hours Before Release of Final Election Results


Anti-Fraud Protesters Face Police Repression in
Honduras as Juan Orlando Hernandez Desperately Clings to Power

Tegucigalpa, Honduras – Just before midnight on Wednesday, a crowd of several thousand anti-fraud protesters in Honduras - including numerous young children - was tear-gassed repeatedly by a military police tank and riot police outside of the INFOP – the building where all of the ballots and tally sheets from last Sunday’s elections are being stored and counted.

The incident took place three tense days after national elections left both sides claiming victory, but official initial results pointing to a five percentage point victory for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship’s candidate Salvador Nasralla. After several days delay, numerous irregularities and unexplained transmission outages, Wednesday afternoon official results began to show a slight advantage for the incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez. With the electoral tribunal announcing that a final result would be released at 3am, thousands began to gather outside the site of the ballot-counting to protest against the attempt to steal their victory. When former President Manuel Zelaya arrived at the scene, the crowd surged forward and police began tear-gassing the crowd seemingly indiscriminately. Protestors fled running and clutching cloth to their faces and coughing. 

In the chaos, tear gas entered the warehouse and election observers were forced to flee, raising concerns about unattended ballots in an election already marked by charges of fraud, vote buying, intimidation, and repression.  

Video and photos of the protest and repression available here.














Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Militarization continues, Worries spread that Opposition Alliance Victory will be Stolen by Fraud

URGENT ACTION: Contact US Embassy and Congress to Stop All Support for Juan Orlando Hernandez
We, an international delegation sponsored by La Voz de los de Abajo, CODEPINK, and the Honduras Solidarity Network, urge you to contact the US Embassy in Tegucigalpa as well as your Congressional and Senate representatives to demand that the US stop all support (political and economic) for Juan Orlando Hernandez as he attempts to steal an election to extend his dictatorship.
Feel free to use the following observations from our delegation, which is currently in Honduras, as talking points:
* Since the days leading up to the election to now, Honduras has been in a constantly escalating state of militarization and intimidation intended to strike fear into those willing to vote against Juan Orlando Hernandez and the National Party.
* Two members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Marco Lobo and Eric Mejia, have shared statements that Salvador Nasralla's lead in the vote is irreversible. Despite this, there has been an unprecedented delay in the official announcement of the winner of the election.
* As the delay persists, there are widespread reports on social media of voter fraud to benefit Juan Orlando Hernandez and the National Party.
* This includes a video of piles of blank ballots being stamped en masse for Juan Orlando Hernandez, and
* Incidences of scattered violence around the country as National Party forces try to gain control of ballot boxes (including stabbings, shootings, kidnappings, and other forms of threats and intimidation)
* According to social media reports, Une TV's broadcast building (which has recognized Salvador Nasralla as the President Elect of Honduras) has been circled by either military or police.
These are all signs of a dictatorship and are not reflective of fair, democratic elections.
In all of the meetings we have had with social movement leaders since the first TSE announcement of Nasralla's lead (and apparent victory), they all said that Juan Orlando Hernandez is likely very surprised by this result and warned that he does not want to give up power and will do anything he can do to stay in power. The militarization and weapons of war that our delegation observed on election day give weight to the alarms being sounded. Furthermore, right now, organizations and people from across Honduras are mobilizing to go to Tegucigalpa to recognize and defend Salvador Nasralla and the Alliance to End the Dictatorship as the rightful winner of the election.
We urge you to support the Honduran people in their effort to stand up to Juan Orlando Hernandez's voter fraud, intimidation, and dictatorship by contacting the US Embassy and your elected officials with the demand that all support end now.
US Embassy Tegucigalpa
011-504-22385114
011-504-22369320
US Capital Switchboard (to contact your Senators and Representatives)
(202) 224-3121

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Amidst militarization and manipulation, elections still undecided in Honduras

Millions of Hondurans went to the polls today in Honduras in the midst of a climate of intimidation, fear and extreme militarization. The La Voz de los de Abajo delegation was present at three voting centers in the San Francisco neighborhood of Tegucigalpa. We directly witnessed to vote buying, intimidation, and an overall highly sophisticated and yet crude and shameless manipulation by the ruling party to attempt to assure the illegal re-election of U.S. ally Juan Orlando Hernandez. We also witnessed the always-inspiring spirit of resilience and resistance of the Honduran people, and have no doubt that whatever the final announced results, people here will continue to organize and struggle for a more just Honduras and world.

Below are some photos of the militarization surrounding the polling places, including military vehicles with roof-mounted machine guns, new special operations units with high caliber weapons, and military police, some with their faces masked. Also below are two videos - in English and Spanish - showing a moment when National Party activists attempted to intimidate our delegation after we witnessed them paying for votes. 

As of this writing, at 11:47pm on Sunday night November 26th, both the current President Juan Orlando Hernandez and the opposition alliance candidate Salvador Nasralla have declared victory. A protest has been called for tomorrow, Monday November 27th at 2pm in front of the country' electoral authority to demand transparency in the vote count and an end to the dictatorship of Juan Orlando Hernandez.







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