Conferencia de Prensa en Chicago - Stop the attacks against the Brazilian Embassy in Honduras

The message follows in English

Comunicado de Prensa La Voz de los de Abajo y Casa Morazan

A la Comunidad y Medios de Comunicación Nacional e Internacional

A pesar de los arrestos arbitrarios y la represión sistemática las protestas se han incrementado considerablemente, en tomas de carreteras, en los barios, en la capital y en muchas otras ciudades la represión, en vez de atemorizar a los manifestantes, les ha reafirmado su decisión de lucha. Ante eso reafirmamos que TODOS SOMOS HONDURAS.

La Voz de los de Abajo y Casa Morazan los invita a participar en el Acto de Solidaridad

Consulado General de Brasil en Chicago

401 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

Hora de 4:00pm a 5:00pm


1. Demandando el retorno inmediato a la institucionalidad y la restitución del Presidente José Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

2. Un alto a la represión y violaciones a los derechos humanos. Un respeto a la vida.

3. Alto a la militarización y empleo de armas químicas y electromagnéticas contra civiles.

4. Apoyamos la Resistencia Pacífica del Pueblo hondureño a través de Frente Nacional Contra el golpe de Estado.

5. Rechazamos y condenamos el proceso electoral como producto de un régimen de facto y apoyamos la voluntad soberana del pueblo a decidir su destino por medio de una asamblea nacional constituyente.

Nota: La carta entregada al Consulado de Brazil sigue en el ingles despues del comunicado en ingles.

Press Release: September 29, 2009

La Voz de los de Abajo and Casa Morazan Contact: Alexy J. Lanza (312) 656-8655

For Immediate Release

Honduran Crises Deepens

The Honduran crisis continues. The de facto government of Roberto Micheletti, installed by a military coup on June 28^th, is threatening to invade the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa to seize the elected president of Honduras, Manual Zelaya Rosales who has been given sanctuary by the Brazilian government.

On September 27^th, Micheletti announced that the Brazilian government has 10 days to surrender Zelaya or he will send in troops. Meanwhile the Honduran military and police are using chemical weapons, high decibel audio weapons and tear and pepper gas against the embassy, endangering the health and lives of its occupants and of the people who live in the surrounding buildings.

On September 27th the Micheletti government also signed a decree revoking the constitutional right to freedom of expression and expression in the country, but despite the arbitrary arrests, violence and repression, the protests continue to grow and the crises deepens daily.

Join La Voz de los de Abajo, Casa Morazan, and other concerned organizations in Chicago in an act of solidarity with the Honduran people and in defense of Brazilian solidarity with democracy in Honduras.

Brazilian Consulate in Chicago

401 North Michigan Avenue

Thursday, October 1^st: 4:00pm a 5:00pm


We demand

· The immediate return of constitutionality and the restitution of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

· An end to the militarization and the use of chemical, electromagnetic, and high decibel weaponry against the Brazilian embassy and the people’s peaceful protests.

· An immediate end to the repression and violations of human rights

We Support

· The peaceful resistance of the Honduran people through the National Front Against the Coup

· The rejection and condemnation by the Honduran resistance of the electoral process controlled by the de facto government and

· The sovereign right of the people to decide its destiny through a national constituent assembly.

Note: Below is a copy of the letter delivered to the Brazilian Consulate on October 1^st.

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La Voz de los de Abajo

PO Box 7684, Chicago, IL 60680

lavozchicago@yahoo.com

Chicago, IL

October 1, 2009

To the Consul general for the Government of Brazil in Chicago

Honorable Consul,

The Chicago community members, activists, and organizations present here today would like to express our most sincere appreciation for the honorable actions of your government regarding the current crisis in Honduras. The political support of the Brazilian Government since the day of the coup, against the violations of human rights and international law, for the restoration of the constitutional 9order and the return of President Manuel Zelaya, is invaluable for our brothers and sisters in Honduras, who are in resistance to the violent and illegitimate de facto government.

We also hold in the highest regard the courageous and dignified assistance towards the resolution of the crisis of your government today as President Zelaya finds harbor in our embassy in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, in spite of the threats of the usurper President Roberto Micheletti and the violence of the army and police forces sent by the golpistas against your diplomatic offices. Those inside the facilities have already suffered the effects of the tear gas and other chemicals, as well as other weapons including high frequency noise and cutting the water and electricity. We wish to strongly denounce this aggression against Brazil and against the Honduran people.

We thank you and we are sure the people of Honduras will always remember your help during these dark days. Your help is not only already a historical event but also an example to all the world leaders today.

Please share this letter with your government and with the Brazilian people.

Sincerely,

Signed by representatives of La Voz de los de Abajo; Casa Morazan, Chicago Religious Leadership Network for Latin America, Neighbors for Peace, ChicagOtra, and other community members.

Beginning August 11, the National Front Against the Coup in Honduras called for a week of resistance. Thousands of people mobilized from all over Honduras to participate in protests in Tegucigalpa and elsewhere. Below is a report and photos from Alexy Lanza member of La Voz and the independent media, Producciones En El Ojo Productions, who was in Honduras for 2 weeks in August.

Report on a Week of National and International Resistance
I arrived on August 11th, the National and International Day of Resistance and protests against the coup d’etat in Honduras that occurred on June 28th. It was another day of resistance, there were protests across the country, civic work stoppages, takeovers of highways, and in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, there was a massive protest, during which a bus and a fast food restaurant, Popeye’s, were burned. According to the National Front of Resistance Against the Coup d’etat, these last actions were taken by agent provocateurs - police who had infiltrated the protest and the actions brought a brutal repression against the protesters.

There have been infiltrations continuously in the mobilizations by provocateurs producing vandalism in the city; they have also infiltrated with the goal of identifying the leaders and filming the protests with the aim of distorting the image of the marches. I ran into trouble myself at the beginning in documenting the events, because I was without a press credential and I was confused with an infiltrator.

My First Day of Protest
Wednesday, August 12 at 9 am, I joined in the protest in which there were 15,000 people. It was a peaceful protest until the military and police forces repressed it brutally. At around 1pm we were arriving at the Congress and I was at the front of the protest where I was witness to the army’s attack against the peaceful protest. Congressman, Marvin Ponce, who I had just greeted was grabbed by 8 or more soldiers who beat him brutally, and on all sides they were attacking the protesters; dozens of tear gas bombs were launched against the protesters, who were arrested, beaten, humiliated and tortured. 26 were arrested right there, among them, 2 minors, 2 women, and medical students. The soldiers dedicated themselves to arresting and beating everyone they found in the street, so that some of those 26 arrested weren’t participants in the march. In fact, one of those detained was a golpista (supporter of the coup); they also arrested a Colombian tourist who was born in Venezuela but raised since an infant in Colombia - just like the others, he was subject to blows and humiliations.

Save yourselves, those who can.
In the face of this brutal repression, the march dispersed. I had to take a taxi to the Pedagogic University where it was expected people would be arriving since this had been the meeting place for the marches. Arriving at the university with my lungs full of smoke and my face and eyes burning, I rested for a moment and was drinking water when various compañeros began shouting, “run compañeros run, the soldiers are coming”. I got up and saw the arrival of the soldiers, shooting and throwing tear gas bombs, they shouted, “get them, and get these dogs”. Again there was no choice other than to run ---approximately 200 soldiers entered and took over the University. As I ran I saw them shutting the university’s gates so that no one else could leave; inside there were 40 people who were arrested. They had been resting and eating in the basement of the auditorium; I had been on my way there to eat, but had not gotten to the basement; otherwise I would have been one of them.


Shootings at the Via Campesina Offices
On August 11, a curfew was declared, despite that, late that night, the office of Via Campesina was shot up by unidentified individuals. There were various leaders of the anti-coup movement in the office at the time of the shooting.
Second Day - The Public Ministry
Thursday the 13th another day of began with the protest heading toward the Public Ministry where the repression suffered the day before was denounced to the Prosecutors for the Office of Human Rights. While the people waited outside the offices, a commission from the National Front Against the Coup met with various prosecutors. In the meeting it was agreed to accept (the report of) the irregularities and violations of human rights that the military and police forces incurred. Afterwards the protest headed towards Radio Globo’s building where it concluded. The day’s work ended without major repression by the army or police.
Day Three- the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH)
The conscious people once again shouted, “Present” on Friday the 14th of August. This time the protest left from the Pedagogic University passing through the neighborhoods called “Kennedy” and “Alto” in the direction of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) where another day of work ended, also without repression by the army and police
Day Four - The Airport

Saturday the 15th, the people in resistance began at the offices of the Beverage Workers Union (STIBIS) and moved towards the airport, first passing through the neighborhoods and ending with a mass in memory of the young man assassinated by the army at the airport. On this day there was no repression from the army despite its strong presence at the protest.


Day 5 - Assembly
Sunday, August 16th the National Front Against the Coup d’etat held an assembly. I asked for a brief meeting with the coordinating commission (steering committee) of the Front to let them know about the efforts that different organizations in cities in the U.S. have made (in solidarity). I also let them know about plans to organize a delegation composed of representatives from various organizations in about a month and the intention of the delegation to have discussions with different sectors of the Front and of course to participate in denouncing abuses. The compañeros were glad to receive the information. There was not time for dialogue due to the crowded agenda.
In the assembly it was agreed to continue resisting by all possible peaceful means, it was emphasized that it would be a decisive week because on Monday the 17th the International Commission of Human Rights was expected and also expected during the week is a commission from the Organization of American States (OAS); so another day of resistance was planned for Monday the 17th starting at the Pedagogic University.

Chicago - Todos Somos Honduras - 6 de Julio We are alll Honduras

July 6 de Julio

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Support the Frente de Resistencia en contra del Golpe