The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) strongly condemns the illegal coup by the Honduran military on June 28 in which democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya was kidnapped and forcibly taken to Costa Rica. We totally reject the claim that such action was in any way justified by the popular consultation regarding constitutional reform.
We further condemn the kidnapping of Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas and of the ambassadors of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and the attacks on members of trade unions and the public who support the restoration of democracy in Honduras.
In doing so, we stand in solidarity with trade unions, student, indigenous and other organizations in Honduras seeking to restore their elected president to office. Citizens have engaged in increasing mobilizations, and members of workers’ and farmers’ organizations have declared an indefinite general strike.
Such actions have been met with increasing repression. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has expressed concern for over 30 people missing or detained following the coup. The IACHR also expressed concern over the persecution of civil society leaders whose homes had been surrounded and fired on by military forces. Eyewitnesses report beatings, the use of tear gas, and other forms of intimidation and repression.
In a notable break from past U.S. policies, the Obama adminstration. has joined the United Nations, Organization of American States (OAS), European Union and others who have condemned the coup and called for Zelaya’s return. The OAS has expelled Honduras, European and Latin American nations have withdrawn their ambassadors, and multilateral financial institutions including the World Bank have frozen loan payments.
However, we call upon our government to take additional measures. The U.S. should join the many other countries that have withdrawn their ambassadors from Honduras pending restoration of Zelaya to the presidency. Further, given the extensive U.S. training at the School of the Americas of the very individuals and military officers responsible for the coup, we call on the Obama Administration to cease all military activities and funding for Honduras.
We further urge the administration to immediately suspend aid to the government of Honduras as required by U.S. law and oppose any negotiations with the coup perpetrators to place any conditions on the reinstatement of President Zelaya.
We also call on the U.S. State Department to comply now and in the future with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2626 (XXV) (1970) by respecting sovereign rights in its dispersal of foreign aid and to cease funding so-called “pro-democracy” civil groups that have supported this anti-democratic coup.
John H. Hovis, General President
Bruce J. Klipple, General Secretary-Treasurer
Robert B. Kingsley, Director of Organization