HONDURAS COUP SITREP #20, 07/16/2009 AS OF 15:00

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000607 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC HO SUBJECT: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #20, 07/16/2009 AS OF 15:00 LOCAL (17:00 EDT) REF: TEGUCIGALPA 600 AND PREVIOUS -------------- DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITY -------------- ¶1. (U) At 09:15 local (11:15 EDT),approximately 300 pro-Zelaya demonstrators gathered on the southern edge of Tegucigalpa to block the CA-5, Honduras's main highway. An additional 700 Zelaya supporters were en route to the CA-5 north of the city to do the same. At the same time there were also approximately 100 pro-Zelaya protestors gathered in front of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) in town. As of 10:01 local (12:01 EDT),the pro-Zelaya protests had grown to approximately 1,000 to 1,500 people blocking transit on the CA-5 in the north and 1,000 blocking the south. At 11:44 local (13:44 EDT),the numbers of protestors blocking north and south CA-5 transit were reportedly the same with 100 pro-Zelaya protestors blocking the entrance to UNAH. At 11:55 local (13:55 EDT), approximately 800 to 1,000 pro-Micheletti supporters gathered in front of the country's national electoral commission (TSE) building blocking the street. At 12:45 local (14:45 EDT) this group dispersed and traffic resumed. At 13:30 local (15:30 EDT),the UNAH demonstrators dispersed. At about 15:00 local (17:00 EDT),the demonstrators on the CA-5 and the southern artery dispersed and vehicles began to transit. ¶2. (U) At 09:15 local (11:15 EDT),protestors gathered to block portions of the highway connecting the north coast cities of San Pedro Sula and Puerto Cortes. They dispersed after several hours. ¶3. (U) A homemade explosive device was placed in the parking lot of a Burger King near the Toncontin Airport the evening of July 15. No damages were reported following its detonation. ¶4. (U) The de facto government reinstated the curfew last night following a heightened state of alert by the national police force. The curfew will be imposed from 00:30 to 04:30 local time (02:30 to 06:30 EDT) until further notice. Police contacts confirmed that 40 people were arrested nationwide last night for violating the curfew. ¶5. (U) Post has observed a general escalation of rumors and alarmist comments regarding violence in recent days. Post will comment more on this via SepTel. -------------- Infrastructure and Communications -------------- ¶6. (U) Toncontin Airport remains open and has been operating since Tuesday afternoon, July 7. All American Airlines flights were cancelled today, July 16; no cancellations are planned for July 17. Continental and Delta flights continue operating as normal. San Pedro Sula airport remains open for international flights, and American, Continental and Delta Airlines continue to operate flights as usual to and from that destination. ¶7. (U) As of 11:04 local (13:04 EDT),approximately 50 people affiliated with the Nicaraguan Social Movement gathered on the Nicaragua side of the Las Manos border crossing. The crowd dispersed about two hours later. Despite early reports that Nicaragua and El Salvador were planning to close land border crossings July 16-17, all land borders are reportedly still open to both private and commercial traffic. ¶8. (U) Bus services remain partially interrupted as several companies cancelled routes for the day while others plan to operate under their normal schedules barring potential road blockages. TEGUCIGALP 00000607 002 OF 002 ¶9. (U) As of the afternoon of July 16, there were no reports of abnormal public utility outages in the country. -------------- Consular and Embassy Operations -------------- ¶10. (U) DHS/ICE reports that logistical problems have been resolved with repatriation flights, which will continue at a rate of one flight per day until further notice. ¶11. (U) The Embassy remains open for all regular consular services today, July 16. Barring a change in the security situation, the consular section plans to be open for regular consular services until further notice. ¶12. (U) The Consular Section continues to receive approximately 50 inquiries each day from AmCits regarding the political situation. Post issued an updated Warden Message the afternoon of July 16 with information on the reinstatement of the curfew. The Consular Section continues to regularly update ACS information on the Embassy website. LLORENS