TEGUCIGALPA.- Hundreds of protesters from various opposition parties marched on Saturday in Tegucigalpa, Hondurasto express their rejection of the meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum. The march coincided with the 15th anniversary of the coup that overthrew former President Manuel Zelaya, whose wife is now in power.
Under the rain that did not stop their protests, the participants chanted “Libre nunca más!”, referring to the Liberty and Refoundation party, a far-left and pro-Chavez party founded by Zelaya and responsible for the rise to power of the current president Xiomara Castro, wife of the former president.
The retired general Romeo Vasquezwho led the operation that forced Zelaya into exile in 2009, told the media: “We want to live in peace and freedom.” Vásquez was one of the organizers of the march called by the self-proclaimed “Citizen Army for Peace.”
“We are showing that the Honduran people are against the Sao Paulo Forum and these communists who bring strange ideas to Honduras,” he added.
The Sao Paulo Forum meeting brought together some 360 left-wing and far-left delegates from several countries, who discussed the challenges facing left-wing parties in the region. The celebration of this meeting coincides with the commemoration of the coup d’état that removed Zelaya due to his alignment with 21st Century Socialism led by the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.
Tomas Zambranohead of the National Party (right) caucus in Congress, stressed that the demonstration sought to protest “against the policies imposed by the Sao Paulo Forum.”
“What did the Sao Paulo Forum say yesterday? That the path to Libre for Honduras has to be to become Cuba and Venezuela,” said Congressman Zambrano, referring to the declarations of the international event.
The protest reflects the deep political divisions in Honduras and the controversy generated by the influence of the Sao Paulo Forum on national politics, marking another chapter in the political history of the Central American country.
Source: With information from AFP
