The ITUC has once again strongly condemned the military coup carried out in Honduras on 28 June with the abduction, overthrow and expulsion from the country of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales, as it had along with its regional organisation the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) on 8 July 2009.

The coup has been massively condemned at political and trade union level as well as by the international community, through the UN General Assembly and the Organisation of American States (OAS), which have expressed their condemnation and rejection of the military coup and have unanimously called for a return to constitutional order and respect for the rule of law through the restitution of Manuel Zelaya, the country’s legitimate president.

In spite of the pressure placed on Micheletti’s de facto government, including Honduras’ suspension from the OAS for its violation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the suspension of economic and military aid by the United States, and its revoking of the visas of four coup government officials, the situation nonetheless remains deadlocked. The mediation led by President Oscar Arias has seen no progress and the San José Agreement on national reconciliation and the strengthening of democracy in Honduras, presented to the parties on 22 July, has not been complied with.

The ITUC and its regional organisation the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) condemned the military coup carried out in Honduras on 28 June with the abduction, overthrow and expulsion from the country of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales in a resolution adopted on 8 July 2009. (see TUCA resolution )

Serious human rights violations have been registered since the coup. At least eight people have been killed, hundreds have been detained and injured, many others have received threats, and severe restrictions have been placed on freedom of expression, information and movement. Especially hard hit by this political persecution are trade union, social and political leaders, human rights activists, journalists and foreign nationals. The national resistance movement, including campesinos, workers, students, housewives, teachers and street vendors, has been brutally repressed by the army and national police. Some 250 people were detained by the military police in Olancho when demonstrators blocked a road to mark their opposition to the coup government and demand a return to democracy.

With no signs of a prompt return to constitutional rule, the ITUC is calling on the UN, the OAS, the European Union, governments and the international community to take every step necessary to:

Uphold their condemnation of the coup and insist more forcefully on the urgent restitution of Manuel Zelaya, the constitutional president and, hence, a return to democracy in Honduras;

Uphold the suspension of diplomatic relations with the de facto regime as well as all economic and financial aid;

Renounce all the measures, decrees and provisions implemented by the de facto government;

Ensure respect for human and trade union rights;

Support the decision of the European Union to suspend negotiations on the Association Agreement with Central America until constitutional order is restored in Honduras;

Support, in every way possible, the forthcoming international solidarity mission of the ITUC and TUCA with its three affiliated organisations in Honduras, the CUTH, CTC and CGT.