News Release

Honduras: After Stolen Election, Escalating Regime Violence, Backed by U.S.

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JESSE FREESTON, [Currently in Tegucigalpa, Honduras], me at jessefreeston.com
Freeston has been publishing from Honduras, as a video-journalist and documentary filmmaker, for the last eight years, ever since the 2009 coup d’état. His work includes the acclaimed feature documentary “Resistencia: The Fight for the Aguan Valley.” In the past two weeks he has produced video reports for The Real News and “Democracy Now en Español.”

Jesse said today: “Just in the past few weeks this regime has: stolen an election; ignored calls from the Organization of American States to hold a new election; passed a law prohibiting the prosecution of all former and current members of Congress in the midst of a series of massive corruption scandals; appointed a new national police chief who has clear evidence against him of drug trafficking; tried two civilian activists inside a military base on dubious charges; been caught paying poor residents $25 each to attend the presidential inauguration; and sent military and police to attack protests arising from the above abuses. On multiple occasions they have fired live bullets into crowds; leaving at least 20 people dead and receiving a denunciation from the UN. In this context; not a single foreign government sent a foreign minister or head of state to Juan Orlando Hernández’s inauguration. But while foreign governments may prefer to avoid photographs with Hernández they continue sending the money and arms which uphold his regime.” He also highlights an analysis by The Economistmagazine on the evidence of electoral fraud.

KEN JONES, jonesk at maine.edu
Jones just returned from a delegation of fifty people, mostly clergy, to Honduras and wrote the piece “Accompaniment in Honduras,” which states: “In particular, the life of Jesuit priest and native Honduran Father Ismael Moreno, known as Padre Melo, is in danger. Possibly as well known as the assassinated Berta Caceres, Melo is the director of Radio Progreso, an independent station that reports on human rights violations, police and military abuses, and the work of dissidents and protectors of the land and waters. A humble and soft-spoken man, he is a spiritual and political leader who has not minced words as he has pointed to the illegal and brutal behaviors of the Honduran government and elites. He has also denounced the United States for its support of the regime, and for its hypocrisy in certifying Honduras as having an acceptable human rights record. Now his picture is featured on a flyer being circulated purporting to depict terrorists in El Progreso, in what could well be a prelude to his assassination.”

See in America magazine: “Jesuits issue open letter denouncing ‘grave threats’ against Honduran priest.”

See Twitter list: accuracy/lists/honduras.