MADURO STIFFENS RESOLVE AS PEACEFUL PROTESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001472 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN, DS/OP/WHA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2014 TAGS: PGOV ASEC ELAB PHUM SOCI PREL HO SUBJECT: MADURO STIFFENS RESOLVE AS PEACEFUL PROTESTS CONTINUE REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1466 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 1439 ¶C. TEGUCIGALPA 1434 Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Peaceful protests continued in Tegucigalpa on July 1 as the Government of Honduras (GOH) rejected the latest counter-proposal from the teachers' unions, calling it "absurd" and launching a media campaign in the newspapers against the teachers. The March for Life (Marcha Por La Vida) climaxed on June 30 when some 3,000 people gathered in front of the National Congress seeking GOH action on environmental issues. Contrary to the Casa Presidencial's dire predictions, the event passed without incident. On July 1, anti-globalization protesters joined a planned labor federation march to press the government on another political front. To date, there have been no reported incidences of violence between police and protesters; however, the GOH remains skittish and tense. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The teachers strike continues with no end in sight. On June 30, the Government of Honduras (GOH) rejected a counter-proposal from teachers' unions, calling it "absurd." The teachers are calling on the GOH to abrogate its prior agreement with the IMF (which requires fiscal restraint) thus allowing the government to significantly increase teachers' salaries. Honduran President Ricardo Maduro reiterated his desire to enter into arbitration with the teachers, something their unions have thus far rejected. The teachers have vowed to continue their strike until the GOH accepts their demands. Meanwhile, the government launched a media campaign in the national newspapers accusing the teachers of denying students their school lunches, warning that their demands would result in another tax increase, and laying out the mathematics of the teachers' runaway salary increases if the government accepts their demands. Both sides appear to have dug in their heals and a realistic compromise seems distant. ¶3. (C) The March for Life (Marcha por la Vida) which commenced June 24, ended June 30 in Tegucigalpa without incident. Some 3,000 people gathered in front of the National Congress to support Father Andres Tamayo's effort to call attention to environmental abuses in Honduras. The protest was peaceful and rumors that the marchers might demand President Maduro's resignation did not come to fruition. The Casa Presidencial had warned the Embassy multiple times that these marchers were planning to engage in violent actions and represented a threat to the government's stability. According to a minor party congressman and multiple political commentators, the dignified, but insistent, approach of the marchers seemed to have awakened a renewed interest in the general public to seek greater government accountability of its ineffective efforts to protect the environment. The President of Congress, Pepe Lobo, attended a reception for the Marcha Por La Vida hosted by the visiting Center for International Policy (CIP) delegation, which has led by Ambassador Bob White, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY). In addition, President Maduro received the CIP group at the Casa Presidencial on July 1. ¶4. (C) As promised, the General Federation of Workers (CGT), the second largest labor federation in Honduras, and Popular Block (BP-Bloque Popular) joined forces to demonstrate against the GOH on July 1. The group marched peacefully from the southern part of the city into the city center and assembled at the National Congress. Estimated participation ranged from 3,000 to 10,000 protesters. The CGT will try to expand the protests to other cities around the country on July 2. It will also lead another march again in the capital. ¶5. (C) Comment: President Maduro and the GOH stiffened their resolve today in the face of the protests. Their media campaign against the teachers was lauded by supporters as finally getting out the "truth" about the economic impact of the teachers' salary demands. Conversely, it was roundly criticized as antagonistic and a demonstration of negotiating in bad faith by opponents. Fortunately, the Casa Presidencial's dire predictions about the violent nature of the marches is not being borne out at all. The Minister of Public Security also confided that the GOH had expected the July 1 union and BP march to result in a violent confrontation with the police. It appears that the GOH's intelligence network is over-hyping the threat of violence which is having the effect of distracting the President and his advisors from developing their political strategy to end the teachers' strike and dealing with the people's business. End Comment. Palmer