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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000661 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI DS SNAR HO
SUBJECT: CLASHES AT BORDER PROTESTS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Conditions along the Honduras-Nicaragua 
border where pro-Zelaya demonstrators have congregated across 
from the encampment of President Zelaya have become a 
potential flash point for an escalation to violence in the 
Honduran political crisis.  Human rights groups have lodged 
protests that the de facto regime's security forces, both 
police (HNP) and military (HOAF), are denying freedom of 
movement throughout the country, and at the border area have 
prevented protestors, human rights activists, and relief 
workers passage in or out of the cordoned-off areas.  Post is 
seeking further information and clarification on numerous 
reports of possible violence attributed to the situation 
along the border, and will continue to report on matters as 
we learn more.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
CONDITIONS ALLEGEDLY GET VIOLENT 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) HNP used non-violent and allegedly violent means to 
break up protests urging the return of President Zelaya near 
the Nicaraguan border on July 24 and 25.  According to human 
rights organizations, three Hondurans were injured after 
police opened fire on protesters gathered at the Nicaraguan 
border on July 24.  (Comment: Post is currently trying to 
verify these reports and get the names of those injured.  End 
Comment)  Similar reports indicate that approximately 30 
protesters were arrested that same day and later released. 
The body of Pedro Ezequiel (also identified as Pedro Magdiel 
Munoz Salvador), age 24 from Tegucigalpa, was found on the 
morning of July 25 with a multitude of knife wounds which 
some are reporting are proof that he was tortured.  These 
same human rights groups claim that they have testimony and 
possibly a video as evidence indicating that the HNP did in 
fact detain Ezequiel.  HNP spokesperson Orlin Cerrato denied 
that Ezequiel had been detained and maintained that Gerson 
Evenor Vilches Almendarez was the only protester arrested on 
Friday.  (Note: While the appearance of a body so close to 
the border area is in itself suspicious, such deaths are also 
common within the context of gang violence nationwide. 
Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the 
hemisphere.  Post is continuing to pursue more reliable 
information on this case.  End note.) 
 
---------------------------------- 
REGIME TRIES TO CONTROL PROTESTERS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Throughout the weekend, there were reports of 
various well-known Zelaya-supporters being detained including 
agrarian leader Rafael Alegria and twelve members of the 
Coordinating Group of Honduran Indigenous Populations 
(COPINH).  Security forces have set up approximately 20 
roadblocks along the border across from Zelaya's encampment 
in Nicaragua and a 24-hour curfew has been put in effect in 
the area to control and limit the crowds of protesters. 
Reports indicate that throughout the country, security forces 
have commandeered buses of protesters to stop them from 
arriving at the border area.  The First Lady Xiomara Castro 
and her family were prevented from reaching the border by 
authorities, allegedly out of fear for their safety, but have 
not/not been detained as some groups allege. 
 
¶4. (C) Protesters who successfully reached the border have 
been prevented from leaving the area by security forces, who 
also prevented resupply of food or water to the groups. 
Embassy contacts say the exact number of protesters stranded 
is difficult to tally, because they are in isolated clusters 
cut off from each other by security forces.  On July 26, the 
HNP and HOAF allowed the Honduran Red Cross to deliver food 
and water to the protesters stranded in the border zone. 
Special Prosecutor for Human Rights German Enamorado has been 
delayed at numerous roadblocks en route as he works to reach 
the zone with six Honduran human rights lawyers in order to 
verify the alleged human rights violations taking place. 
(Note: Enamorado is currently replacing Sandra Ponce who was 
abruptly sent to Chile for training on July 17.  End note.) 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: These events are especially troubling as they 
 
TEGUCIGALP 00000661  002 OF 002 
 
 
appear to represent a further deterioration in the human 
rights situation.  We will continue to press the Attorney 
General, HNP and HOAF regarding allegations of human rights 
abuses, as well as liaise with human rights NGOs who are 
working in the border area.  Even those elements of the GOH 
who were once impartial defenders of human rights have become 
highly partial, even apologists for the de facto regime since 
June 28, making the work of verifying claims of abuse even 
more difficult.  Up to this point in the crisis, there has 
been only one death that can be attributed to the crisis with 
certainty.  Nationwide, both the protests and the responses 
from security forces have been surprisingly peaceful, but as 
conditions worsen for both sides in the remote border zone, 
the potential for violence and violent repression becomes 
much greater.  End Comment. 
LLORENS