A COALITION OF GROUPS PROTEST AGAINST HONDURAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000557

SIPDIS

STATE FOR - DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/WHA, WHA/CEN, WHA/EPSC, EB,
DRL/PHD, INR/IAA
STATE PASS USTR
DOL FOR ILAB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV ETRD ELAB PREL HO KSAC
SUBJECT: A COALITION OF GROUPS PROTEST AGAINST HONDURAN
CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF CAFTA



1. Summary - On March 8, several groups protested against the
CAFTA resolution which was passed by the Honduran congress on
March 3. The protesters blocked roads in various locations
outside of the capital. At approximately 1645 hours, more
than 800 demonstrators protested in front of the Congress.
In the outlying areas, there was one incident of violence
reported and a minor injury to a police officer occurred. The
protest in front of the Congress resulted in property damage
to vehicles and buildings located near the National Congress.
While none of the protests were directed at the embassy, Post
does not discount that possibility in the future. End Summary


2. On March 8, demonstrators from various groups protested in
several locations in Honduras. They were protesting against
the Honduran Congress' passage of the U.S.-Central America
Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) agreement. The demonstrators
blocked roads in various parts outside of the capital of
Tegucigalpa. Local authorities estimated that 1,500
demonstrators blocked the road in Las Mercedes, located near
Soto Cano airbase near Comayagua. It was reported that 500
demonstrators blocked the main road outside of Santa Rosa De
Copan, located six hours northwest of the capital. Near
Copan in the Colonia 6 de Mayo, reports stated that
demonstrators slashed the tires and broke the window of a
police vehicle. It was in this same area that a police
officer was hurt by an object thrown by one of the
demonstrators. Police reported to RSO that 300 demonstrators
were present in Siguatepeque, located 45 minutes north of the
Soto Cano airbase. (NOTE: Though various routes were blocked
outside of the capital, the streets and thoroughfares in and
around the capital were clear. This is a departure from
previous large protests organized by Bloque Popular, where
protesters concentrate on blocking the main roads leading out
of the capital. Endnote). Honduran Minister of Finance
William Chong Wong was quoted in the press saying that the
road blockages had cost Honduras hundreds of millions of
lempiras in economic losses, and had caused losses to other
countries in the region that export via Honduras. Chong said
that these kinds of actions could cause El Salvador and
Nicaragua exporters to export through other countries,
further damaging Honduras. Finally, he noted, campesinos
(those whom the protests were allegedly meant to defend) are
also hurt by the road blockages, as their high value added
fruit and vegetable exports were blocked and perhaps ruined
by the protests.


3. It was reported to RSO that the groups protesting in the
Las Mercedes area were prevented by the police from entering
the capital to join the other demonstrators in front of the
Congress. At approximately 1100 hours, the demonstrators
boarded buses to travel to Tegucigalpa to protest with other
groups at the Congress. En route to Tegucigalpa, their buses
were stopped outside the capital at a police check point and
forced to turn around.


4. In Tegucigalpa, at approximately 1645 hours, approximately
800 demonstrators converged on the Congress. During the
protest, there was a strong police presence. There were many
reports of vandalism to vehicles and buildings, to include
breaking windows and spray painting graffiti, in the vicinity
of Congress. This happened despite a strong police presence
of over 200 officers. The number of demonstrators was
estimated to be fewer than 100 by the time the congressmen
arrived to hear their complaints. Among their complaints,
marchers highlighted the alleged duplicity of president of
the Congress Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo, who had reportedly
scheduled a dialogue with civil society about CAFTA for March
8, but then engineered an unscheduled vote on the agreement
on March 3.


5. The demonstrations were organized by the Bloque Popular in
wake of the congressional ratification of CAFTA on March 3.
A protest by government workers in favor of higher wages that
had been ongoing at the time of ratification was unrelated to
CAFTA. CAFTA opponents, however, caught off guard by the
swift unscheduled vote in favor of the agreement, quickly
mobilized the groups for a spontaneous riot inside the
congressional hall on the false pretext that the CAFTA would
prevent the government from granting the sought after wage
hikes.


6. On March 4, the Bloque Popular announced a nationwide
anti-CAFTA protest for March 8, predicting 500,000 people
would participate. During the event, fewer than 10,000
participated nationwide, with no single event garnering more
than 2000 demonstrators.


7. Various unions, such as some teachers unions, and a broad
cross-section of populist groups joined the Bloque Popular's
condemnation of the CAFTA ratification. One leader
specifically lamented the lack of consultation by the
Congress which could have produced a consensus position.
Traditionally, these types of "reforms" have been most
accepted when the government and Congress have been more
effective and transparent when including workers in such
negotiations. However, in truth, the unions have been
largely knee jerk in their opposition and no amount of
consultation, which the GOH did engage in, would have
resulted in a national consensus in support of CAFTA
ratification. The CAFTA opposition plans to contest the
constitutionality of CAFTA and perhaps its method of
ratification, neither of which are likely to be ruled
unconstitutional.


8. The opposition also used CAFTA ratification to attack
other pending legislation, such as the competition
(anti-trust) law, forestry law, and civil service reform law.
They also claimed it would lead to the privatization of
water service, inadequate funding for teachers' and health
care workers' salaries, and the devaluation of the lempira.
Sadly, another major point of protest is that the opponents
say Honduras is not prepared or able to compete against the
U.S. under the terms of the agreement, a position which
reveals a lack of understanding of the phase-in protections
for Honduras' agricultural producers and other key sectors.

Palmer