June 28th marks the one year anniversary of the military coup inHonduras, as well as the consolidation of a powerful and vibrantopposition to the resulting administrations. CISPES stands insolidarity with the people of Honduras and the Frente Nacional deResistencia Popular (FNRP) in continuing to demand a true andparticipatory democracy, economic justice and an immediate end to thehorrendous repression and human rights violations that have surgedsince the coup. We remember all those whose lives have been taken forresisting the illegitimate governments of Roberto Micheletti and PepeLobo and for fighting for a better life for the Honduran people.

Commemorating the anniversary, the FNRP declared that “Honduras todayis the scene of a battle between the old and the new; betweendomination and liberty. Here the criminal armies of internationalfascism, right-wing parties, churches at the service of the oligarchsand governments that serve the empire are confronted by grassrootspopular organizations, progressive and democratic political forces,historically-oppressed social sectors and the impartial solidarity ofbrother and sister counties.”

In San Salvador, a June 22nd visit from Roberto Micheletti, who assumed the de facto presidency in Honduras when democratically-elected president Manuel Zelaya was forcibly removed, was met with major protests from the social movement, the religious community and the FMLN. Micheletti was named “Honorable Guest” by Norman Quijano, the right-wing mayor of San Salvador; the ARENA party has applauded the golpe de estado from the beginning, using it to send a threatening warning sign to President Funes not to stray from the economic and political model that continues to benefit the elite.

The FMLN and the Salvadoran social movement have sustained their opposition to the coup and subsequent administrations. From a recent press release: “the FMLN rejects and condemns the presence of Roberto Micheletti, a shady and terrible character, in our country…” and declares him persona non grata on the basis of his “antidemocratic trajectory, violations of human rights and for disregarding the community and international bodies.”

The events of the last year show once again that the U.S. government continues to play a determinative role in Central American politics. There is mounting evidence that far-right U.S. officials, current and former, were involved in the coup’s planning, which was carried out by two graduates of the School of the Americas. The U.S. is arguably the top international ally of the Pepe Lobo’s regime, having restored full military aid despite the documentation of over 4,300 human rights abuses including 130 assassinations against members of the resistance.

On a recent trip to Lima, Peru, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to convince Latin American countries to “move forward” and to reinstate Honduras into the OAS (Organization of American States); Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela are among the countries that continue to refuse to recognize the Lobo administration. This Friday, a group of 27 Congressional Representatives spoke up, sending a letter to the State Department, to "…express [their] continuing concern regarding the grievous violations of human rights and the democratic order which commenced with the coup and continue to this day" and called for the State Department to make an immediate, on-the-ground assessment of the human rights situation in Honduras.

CISPES echoes the call of the FNRP, “For the memory of our martyrs, fallen in the struggle. For a just society and the re-foundation of the state in Honduras. For the national constituent assembly. We resist and we will triumph!” ¡RESISTIMOS Y VENCEREMOS!