TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #46 08/19/2009 AS OF

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000783 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC HO SUBJECT: TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #46 08/19/2009 AS OF 14:00 LOCAL (16:00 EDT) REF: TEGUCIGALPA 775 AND OTHERS -------------- DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On August 19, as of 12:00 local (14:00 EDT),a small group of less than 1,000 pro-Zelaya supporters demonstrated in front of the U.S. Embassy. Charge and PolOff met inside the U.S. Embassy lobby with Rafael Alegria and other demonstration leaders and listened to their concerns about the de facto regime,s failure to accept the San Jose accords. Charge assured them that the USG shared their frustration and that we were pushing the regime to use the visit of OAS foreign ministers to move the process forward. At 13:30, the demonstrators left the Embassy. (Charge also asked the leaders to tell the demonstrators not to spray paint our walls, as they had in their last visit. Not only did they not paint, but Alegria instructed them to clean up the area before moving on.) ¶2. (SBU) On August 18, at 18:00, a pro-Zelaya vehicular procession of over 100 vehicles and motorcycles rode through Tegucigalpa. A small demonstration of 60-80 persons demonstrated briefly outside the Intercontinental Hotel where the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was meeting. ¶3. (SBU) At present, there are no curfews in place in the country. 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. ¶5. (U) Most of Honduras' land borders with Guatemala and El Salvador are currently open to commercial and private vehicles. The borders between Honduras and Nicaragua have been closed intermittently since Friday, July 24. ¶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 Wednesday, August 19. 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 Monday, August 10. The Consular Section continues to regularly update ACS information on the Embassy website. ¶9. (SBU) The next EAC meeting will be held as needed. HENSHAW