QC Delegation reports that the military crackdown in San Pedro Sula continues. The downtown area is totally militarized with groups of security forces armed with M-16’s are positioned on every corner for 10 square blocks. People on the street are grabbed and detained – tear gas canisters are thrown into the streets to disperse people. A helicopter if flying overhead. The full number of wounded and detained is not yet known.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras. 1:30pm. A peaceful march of over 500 people was just culminating at the Central Park of San Pedro Sula when a large armored tank with high pressure water cannons mounted on the top pulled up at the rear of the march – along with a large truck full of military troops. The 500 peaceful, unarmed protesters turned around to face the tank and troops – and in unison, they sat down in the middle of the street. The truck retreated 2 blocks. The soliders got off the truck , and began to put on gas masks. Everything went silent – and suddenly the crowd was attacked with water cannons and gas. People are fleeing. There are wounded and detained. The QC Delegation is fleeing the scene at this moment and will send reports.
"Even though they try to blame us for the violence, the violence is coming in one direction: from them, towards us." – Tomas Andino
Members of the Quixote Center delegation are organizing a presence in front of the US Embassy in Tegucigalpa at 3pm today, to reinforce the message that this electoral process is illegal, illigitimate, and further corrodes democracy.
After three days of meetings with leaders of the resistance: lawyers, teachers, media, politicians, leaders of the women’s movement, human rights organizations, it has become evident that the de facto regime contends to go forward with its delusions of democracy by putting forward this mock election. Five months since the military escorted Zelaya out of the country in his pajamas they continue with its campaign of terror and repression against the Honduran people.
