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C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM PREL HO BR
SUBJECT: TFH01: ZELAYA'S NEW CONTROL CENTER: THE SITUATION 
AT THE BRAZILIAN EMBASSY 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 955 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b & d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador spoke on the phone with 
Brazilian Charge d'Affaires Francisco Catunda the morning of 
September 23.  Catunda remains host to President Zelaya and a 
large number of supporters in his embassy.  Catunda thanked 
the Ambassador for the extensive USG assistance in 
facilitating relief on September 22, reinstating utilities, 
enabling people to depart safely, and supplying provisions to 
those who remained.  He described the scene inside the 
Brazilian Embassy as still tense, with the Zelaya team 
occupying most of the compound and running a well-organized 
political operation from there despite appeals from Brazilian 
FM Amorim to maintain a low profile, while the Embassy 
personnel remain in the safe haven.  Catunda later sought 
assistance in guaranteeing his own safe passage in and out of 
the Brazilian Embassy.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (C) At approximately 0830 on September 23, Brazilian 
Charge d'Affaires in Tegucigalpa Francisco Catunda spoke to 
the Ambassador and expressed his thanks for the assistance 
and coordination provided by the U.S. Embassy to relieve the 
difficult situation at the Brazilian Embassy on September 22. 
 Catunda said that due to the Embassy efforts with the de 
facto regime, electricity and running water had been 
restored, and over 150 Zelaya supporters as well as seven 
embassy employees had been allowed to leave the embassy 
safely and without fear of arrest.  Furthermore, the de facto 
regime delivered drinking water and food supplies for the 
approximately 100 embassy personnel and Zelaya supporters 
remaining in the embassy.  (Note: We coordinated with 
Honduran security forces to allow the safe departure of 
people and delivery of supplies, as well as restoration of 
utilities cut off on September 21.  Embassy vehicles were 
used to transport Brazilian Embassy personnel only.  End 
note) 
 
¶3. (C) Catunda described the ongoing situation in his embassy 
as tense, but much improved from the previous two days.  He 
said Zelaya, his family, their security personnel and the 
rest of his supporters now occupy and control most of the 
embassy compound, and the embassy staff are remaining in 
their safe haven area, which they control.  Catunda remarked 
that Zelaya is running a highly organized political operation 
from within the embassy, with constant communication with 
supporters around the country, despite de facto regime 
efforts to jam all communications.  Catunda noted that 
Zelaya's security personnel were initially armed, but that 
the embassy had managed to convince them to hand over their 
weapons, and they were now being kept in a vault in the safe 
haven area. 
 
¶4. (C) Catunda said the situation was a source of great 
concern to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and 
Foreign Minister  Celso Amorim.  He noted Amorim had spoken 
with Zelaya by phone on September 21, and urged Zelaya to 
remain calm, and not to make any inflammatory public 
statements or try to run his political operation from within 
the embassy, to no avail.  Catunda said Zelaya's actions have 
created a very difficult 
situation for him as a diplomat trying to run his diplomatic 
mission. 
 
¶5. (C) In a later telephone conversation with the DCM, 
Catunda requested U.S. Embassy assistance in obtaining 
confirmation from de facto regime security forces that he 
himself was free to depart and re-enter his own mission with 
his driver.  Post is currently seeking this confirmation on 
Catunda's behalf. 
LLORENS