Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TEGUCIGALPA1830
2007-11-28 14:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

HONDURAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION PROTESTS DEMAND

Tags:  PGOV ECPS HO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ1181
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTG #1830 3321408
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281408Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7332
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//CINC/POLAD// PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001830 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECPS HO

SUBJECT: HONDURAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION PROTESTS DEMAND
A REAL MANAGER

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Andrea Brouillette-Rodri
guez, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001830

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECPS HO

SUBJECT: HONDURAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION PROTESTS DEMAND
A REAL MANAGER

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Andrea Brouillette-Rodri
guez, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) On November 9, the head of the state run
telecommunications company, Hondutel, was accused of abuse of
authority for allegedly committing telephone espionage
against President Manuel Zelaya, cabinet members, and members
of Congress. After evading authorities for almost a week,
Chimirri voluntary turned himself in on November 14. He
returned to his duties as manager of Hondutel that day, after
a judge released him on preventive measures, which require
him to check in with a judge every Tuesday. The first
hearing is set for December 5. President Zelaya denied
Chimirri's request to resign, instead granting him indefinite
leave, which will start November 30. According to rumors, a
new head of Hondutel will be selected by the board of
directors in the coming days. Possible names circulating are
Hector Rodriguez (Presidential Advisor and uncle of
Chimirri),Raul Valladares (Mel Zelaya's private secretary),
and Luis Lozano (a liberal party insider). The Honduran
Telecommunications Workers Union is demanding that the board
of directors select someone with a technical background in
the field, instead of "another political appointee." The
press reported that over 1,000 Hondutel employees gathered
outside of the Presidential Palace on November 26 to make
their demands heard.

2.(C) Comment: In October, before any of these events
occurred, union leaders came to the Embassy to express their
concerns with the way the state run company was being
managed. The union complained it had negotiated in good
faith to try and save the struggling company, and even taken
a reduction in force of over 250 positions, only to have them
filled a few months later by political party activists. The
union members claimed that almost none of these people even
bothered to show up for work, but only to collect their
paychecks. Hondutel employees have quickly moved from
quietly complaining in private meetings to proactively
voicing their opposition in public, which may call attention
to similar practices of political appointees heading other
state run companies. End comment.
BROUILLETTE-RODRIGUEZ