TFH01: ELECTIONS SITREP 1600 HOURS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001221 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM HO SUBJECT: TFH01: ELECTIONS SITREP 1600 HOURS REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1220 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 1219 ¶1. (U) Summary. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) extended the closing time of polling centers from 16:00 to 17:00. Security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse anti-coup demonstrators in San Pedro Sula who allegedly threw rocks. A Reuters cameraman was injured in the incident. Embassy teams calling in continue to report no incidents. End Summary. THE POLLS -------------- ¶2. (U) The TSE extended the closing time of the polling centers from 16:00 to 17:00 local time. Carlos Romero, who is in charge of logistics for the TSE, told Emboff that the extension was given in response to requests from voting stations due to the number of voters still waiting to cast their ballots. ¶3. (U) According to the TSE, there are 18,313 Hondurans registered to vote in the six cities in the United States where voting will be carried out: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and Washington, D.C. ¶4. (U) Eighty-seven percent of domestic observers deployed in all 18 departments nationwide by "Hagamos Democracia," which received assistance from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and funding from USAID, called in to their headquarters and reported no incidents as of 15:00. Hagamos Democracia issued a communique as of 11:30 in which it stated they had received reports of only two incidents: one regarding abuse of authority in the department of Comayagua and the other regarding a clash between police and citizens in the department of Atlantida. ¶5. (U) A relative of an Embassy employee reported that garbage and tires were set on fire in front of the polling center located at the Alfonso Guillen Zelaya school in the El Pedregal neighborhood of Comayaguela, which is adjacent to Tegucigalpa, causing people who were lined up to vote to run away. Embassy reporting team deployed in Tegucigalpa reported that the re-location of polling sites from the Autonomous University of Honduras to an engineering school took place without problems (see reftel B). SECURITY -------------- ¶6. (U) Security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators gathered at the central park in San Pedro Sula allegedly after some demonstrators began to throw rocks (see reftel A). The Special Prosecutor for Human Rights in San Pedro Sula told Emboff that three injuries have been confirmed and an unknown number of persons detained. A Reuters cameraman was injured. The Special Prosecutor is investigating the incident and trying to determine the location or locations where the detained are being held. . ¶7. (U) A group of approximately ten "US Citizens for Honduras Self Determination" gathered peacefully in front of the Embassy around 15:00 and were interviewed by journalists. ¶8. (U) Embassy reporting team in Santa Barbara said military found a ditch in a road outside Santa Barbara filled with road spikes, but removed them and filled in the ditch. Police in Santa Barbara told Embassy team that they arrested three persons who were in voting centers carrying weapons. ¶9. (SBU) According to a report on Radio America, an improvised explosive device was found in the home of the mayor of the village of Yamaranguila, which is located in the municipality of La Esperanza in Intibuca department. It was unclear whether someone had planted the bomb in the mayor's house or whether the mayor was allegedly in possession of the explosive device. In any case, the police were reportedly able to defuse the bomb. An Embassy staff member asked TSE officials in La Esperanza about the incident, but the TSE officials were not aware of it. The Embassy staff member also visited Yamaranguila but heard nothing about the incident there. According to another news story, unknown TEGUCIGALP 00001221 002 OF 002 persons knocked down and electrical pole in Intibuca, but officials from the national power company were able to repair the damage. LLORENS