TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #60 09/23/2009 AS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000957 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN AND EEB/TRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC EAIR ECON HO TFHO1 SUBJECT: TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #60 09/23/2009 AS OF 15:00 LOCAL (17:00 EDT) REF: TEGUCIGALPA 955 AND OTHERS Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b and d) -------------- Diplomatic Process -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Post continues to pursue confirmation from security forces on behalf of the Brazilian Charge d'Affaires that he will be permitted to re-enter his embassy if he leaves. While individual field commanders for the armed forces and police state they will allow safe passage when informed, they are subject to shift change. Post is seeking to contact the appropriate-level commanders to ensure the information is passed from oneshift to the next. -------------- Domestic Political Situation -------------- ¶2. (SBU) There is a rumor among Honduran political leaders that leftist demonstrators in neighboring countries have blocked Honduras' borders. While Post is aware of individuals successfully crossing into El Salvador via land borders today, we will engage with our embassies in those countries to determine the accuracy of the rumor. -------------- Economic Situation -------------- ¶3. (U) Central American Air Navigation Services Corporation (COCESNA) confirmed that Air Traffic Control (ATC) services have been unaffected by the curfew and continue with no interruptions to ATC services, including services provided to flights between the U.S. and Latin America that fly through Honduran air space. U.S. commercial carriers American Airlines, Continental, and Delta have cancelled their flights due to airport closures and curfews. Delta and Continental have not made any long-term operational decisions, instead they are taking each day as it comes. Delta intends to fly tomorrow, September 24, barring any curfews, and Continental has not yet made a decision. Meanwhile, American Airlines intends to resume flights on Friday, September 25. Interairports, the company that manages the four airports in Honduras, told the Consul General that during the hours that no curfew is in effect, they are supporting domestic flights and some international cargo flights. ¶4. (C) DAO reports that, according to a high level executive for the San Pedro Sula-based beverage company "Cerveceria Hondurena," the factory union has taken a neutral stance regarding the current situation, reporting that "99.9 percent" of the workers reported for work with high morale for the time period of the lifted curfew. Furthermore, the factory is working in concert with the San Pedro Sula police to escort their trucks throughout the country in order to distribute soft drinks (Note: beer is not allowed to be sold during periods of curfew). Finally, this month the company had hoped to come out of the red in sales, but due to the current curfews they will not. However, they reported that they can withstand the curfew for several days. -------------- Civil Unrest and Security Environment -------------- ¶5. (U) A medium size (1,000 - 5,000) group of Zelaya supporters left the Pedagogical University intending to march to the Brazilian Embassy. The police stopped their march on the western outskirts of the neighborhood of Colonia Palmira (where the Brazilian Embassy is located). The marchers, not being permitted to continue toward the TEGUCIGALP 00000957 002 OF 002 Brazilian Embassy, directed their march toward Central Park in downtown Tegucigalpa. A few of the marchers decided to stay in the area and were subsequently dislodged by the police with tear gas. A surveillance camera on the perimeter wall of the Peace Corps building, which is located near where this disturbance occurred, was stolen. The police subsequently dispersed the majority of the Zelaya supporters in the vicinity of Central Park with tear gas. ¶6. (SBU) Police contacts confirmed the Reuters report of the death of a pro-Zelaya protestor overnight, claiming that the individual was not engaged in a street protest at the time he was shot, but was a member of a radical group of youths who were attacking a police patrol car in the Flor de Campo neighborhood. The death marked the fourth confirmed fatality that can be attributed to the political crisis following the June 28 coup. -------------- Consular/ACS -------------- ¶7. The Consular Section issued a revised warden message the afternoon of September 23. The Consular Section continues to regularly update ACS information on the Embassy website. -------------- Media Update -------------- ¶8. (U) Rumor control: Rumors swept the city September 23 that Zelaya would be transferred from the hard-pressed Brazilian Embassy to ours. The rumors were probably triggered by the visit of U.S. Embassy vehicles to the Brazilians to provide transport for some of their personnel who were leaving the grounds (reftel). The Public Affairs Section batted down the rumors and passed along to inquiring reporters the transcript of Department Spokesman Kelly's press briefing remarks on Honduras to give them something substantive to look at. International journalists are beginning to arrive in the country; Public Affairs is establishing contact as they learn of their presence. -------------- Embassy Operations -------------- ¶9. (U) The Embassy is closed today, September 23, due to the curfew, with only essential personnel present. All other personnel have been instructed to abide by the curfew. The Embassy is prepared to reopen September 24 if no curfew is in effect. (Note: official announcements have been made minutes before imposing or lifting curfews since September 21. End note) ¶10. (SBU) All Mission employees and dependents have been instructed to remain within Tegucigalpa. No non-essential travel, either personal or official is authorized until further notice. All TDY travel into Honduras has been suspended for the remainder of the week. LLORENS