TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #39 08/10/2009 AS OF

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000720 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SUBJECT LINE UPDATED) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC HO SUBJECT: TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #39 08/10/2009 AS OF 12:00 LOCAL (14:00 EDT) REF: TEGUCIGALPA 716 AND PREVIOUS -------------- DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITY -------------- ¶1. (U) At 09:50 local time(11:50 EDT),pro-Zelaya followers were gathering at the Pedagogical University preparing for a march/demonstration. At 10:30, a medium size (1000-5000 demonstrators) group was marching from the university northbound on Blvd. Miraflores. At 11:50, they arrived at the United Nations. ¶2. (SBU) Police are closely monitoring pro-Zelaya marches in preparation for the self-proclaimed "mega march" on Tuesday, August 11 in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. Demonstrators began their marches on August 5 from Comayagua, Juticalpa, and Choluteca/San Lorenzo to arrive in Tegucigalpa on August ¶11. 1,000 demonstrators from Choluteca/San Lorenzo have arrived on the southern outskirts of Tegucigalpa at Cerro de Hula. Demonstrators marching from Tela and La Ceiba have arrived on the outskirts of La Lima to protest in San Pedro Sula on August 11. ¶3. (SBU) The curfew in the zone surrounding the Las Manos border crossing in El Paraiso Department and parts of Choluteca Department was rescinded August 6. The curfew for the rest of the country was rescinded July 31. The Embassy Warden Message urges AmCits to consult television and radio announcements each night in case a curfew is again imposed. -------------- Infrastructure and Communications -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa (TGU) and San Pedro Sula airport remain open. The meteorologist strike has been cancelled. ¶5. (U) Apart from the police and military control of the Las Manos border crossing (Reftel),all other borders remain open and operating as normal. ¶6. (U) There are no reports of abnormal public utility outages in the country. -------------- Consular and Embassy Operations -------------- ¶7. (U) The Embassy is open for normal business on Monday, August 10. Barring any changes in the security situation, the Consular Section will remain open for regular consular services until further notice. ¶8. (U) The Consular Section continues to receive sporadic inquiries from AmCits regarding the political situation. Post circulated a Warden Message Thursday, August 6. The Consular Section continues to regularly update ACS information on the Embassy website. ¶9. (SBU) The next EAC meeting will take place today, August 10, at 14:30. LLORENS