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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 001007 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC MARR KDEM PHUM ASEC HO
SUBJECT: TFHO1: HONDURAS COUP SITREP #69 10/02/2009 AS OF 
14:00 LOCAL (16:00 EDT) 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 999 AND OTHERS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), accompanied by 
Congressmen Aaron Schock (R-IL), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), and 
Peter Roskam (R-IL) arrived in Tegucigalpa October 2.  The 
CODEL had arranged its own meetings at the Presidential 
Palace with de facto regime President Micheletti, the Supreme 
Court, the Elections Tribunal (TSE), and representatives of 
civil society.  The CODEL received a briefing from the 
Ambassador en route to the airport.  They departed at 1345 
local (1545 EDT). 
 
------------------ 
Diplomatic Process 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) According to press reports, de facto regime leader 
Micheletti requested yesterday, October 1 that Spanish 
Ambassador Ignacio Ruperez, who is waiting in El Salvador, 
refrain from traveling to Honduras to avoid being denied 
entry.  Micheletti emphasized that since Spain does not 
recognize the de facto regime the Spanish Ambassador will not 
be permitted to resume his post. 
 
¶3. (U) According to press reports, the delegation of 
Brazilian Congressmen visiting Honduras (see reftel 999) met 
with de facto regime leader Roberto Micheletti on October 1. 
 
¶4. (U) An OAS advance team led by OAS Secretary for Political 
Affairs, Victor Rico, arrived today, October 2 to prepare for 
an OAS delegation led by Secretary General Insulza that is 
tentatively scheduled to arrive on October 7. Rico stated 
that the objective of the advance team was to establish an 
agenda for the delegation coming next week.  He also noted 
that he, the Secretary General and the OAS member states were 
optimistic about being able to restart a dialogue.  We plan 
to meet with the OAS team tomorrow afternoon. 
 
---------------------------- 
Domestic Political Situation 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) According to press reports, members of civil society 
and the private sector told the de facto regime during an 
October 1 meeting that the decree enacted on September 26, 
which limits civil liberties, should be adjusted and 
reframed, but that they support it in essence in order to 
guarantee the safety of the Honduran population.  However, 
the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cortes, the most 
powerful chamber of commerce in Honduras, published a press 
release calling for the de facto government to overturn the 
emergency decree. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Special Prosecutor for Human Rights Sandra Ponce 
told Poloff on October 2 that she had been told the Supreme 
Court would not accept her office's court action requesting 
that the "state of exception" decree enacted by the de facto 
regime on September 26 be deemed unconstitutional and voided. 
 The Court informed Ponce that her petition before the court 
was invalid because it did not have the express authorization 
of Attorney General Luis Rubi.  Ponce told Poloff that 
neither Public Ministry rules, nor constitutional law require 
the approval of the Attorney General and stated that there is 
precedent for such a case moving forward without the approval 
of the Attorney General.  Ponce told Poloff she will continue 
to seek ways to challenge the decree in court. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Civil Unrest and Security Environment 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Fewer than two hundred pro-Zelaya supporters 
peacefully demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy today, 
October 2 for less than one hour before marching to the Hotel 
Excelsior in the barrio San Rafael, where police used tear 
gas to disperse them.  Protestors stated that they will meet 
again tomorrow in the Colonia El Pedregal at 1000 local (1200 
EDT). 
 
TEGUCIGALP 00001007  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Carmen Lastenia Martinez, a psychologist at the 
Center for the Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of 
Torture Victims and their Families (CPTRT) told Poloff on 
October 2 that CPTRT continued to investigate the alleged 
mistreatment of Agustina Flores, an anti-coup protestor that 
was arrested in front of the Brazilian Embassy on September 
22 in Tegucigalpa.  The victim told Martinez that she was 
taken into custody by eight policewomen and alleged that the 
police officers told her, "You are the dogs of the 
resistance.  It is good that you should be messed up."  The 
director of CPTRT, Dr. Juan Almendarez (a medical doctor), 
evaluated the physical condition of Flores on September 25 
and found evidence of physical trauma consistent with 
injuries from a police baton and blows to the face.  The 
alleged victim told CPTRT that the police continued to 
physically assault her even after she was in handcuffs.  A 
YouTube video online shows a woman in handcuffs being beaten 
on the face by a female Honduran National Police officer. 
CPTRT confirmed to Poloff on October 2 that the woman in the 
video is Agustina Flores.  As of October 2, Flores remained 
incarcerated in the National Penitentiary in Tegucigalpa 
charged with sedition.  Some human rights organizations are 
classifying the treatment of Flores as "torture," and post 
continues to investigate these allegations closely. 
 
¶9. (U) Post has confirmed that sixteen of the fifty-four 
people arrested for sedition for the occupation of the 
National Agrarian Institute in Tegucigalpa on September 30 
have been released by the court.  The remaining thirty-eight 
were sent yesterday, October 1 to the National Penitentiary 
in Tamara to complete the six days of preventive arrest. 
After these six days, the court can either released or keep 
them in prison until a trial is conducted. 
 
¶10. (U) Honduran National Police reported no incidents 
related to the political crisis yesterday, October 1. 
 
------------ 
Consular/ACS 
------------ 
 
¶11. (U) The Consular Section will distribute a warden message 
October 2 reminding American citizens that the decree 
suspending certain constitutional rights is still in effect 
and providing travel guidance for the weekend. 
 
------------ 
Media Update 
------------ 
 
¶12. (SBU) Poloff spoke to David Romero, the director of 
programming for the anti-coup station Radio Globo that was 
shut down on September 28 (ref Tegucigalpa 983).  Romero 
stated that he regrettably did make various anti-semitic 
statements on the air on September 25 and apologized for the 
statements that he characterized as "illogical" and "a grave 
mistake."  Romero told Poloff he had deep respect for the 
Jewish community in Honduras and stated he regretted any 
offense to those in the Jewish community.  Romero stated he 
is willing to issue a written apology.  Poloff expressed 
concern to Romero about his offensive statements and said 
that extreme and anti-semitic statements such as these are 
unacceptable.  Romero ended the call by again expressing 
regret for making the statements.  The Embassy is drafting a 
letter from the Ambassador to the station owner expressing 
outrage. 
 
------------------ 
Embassy Operations 
------------------ 
 
¶13. (U) The Embassy is open today, October 2, and will remain 
open unless a curfew is imposed.  As of 1400 local (1600 EDT) 
no new curfew announcement had been made.  (Note: official 
announcements have been made minutes before imposing or 
lifting curfews since September 21.  End note) 
 
 
TEGUCIGALP 00001007  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶14. (SBU) Limited travel of mission personnel within Honduras 
is now permitted.  TDY travel into Honduras will be approved 
on a limited, case-by-case basis. 
LLORENS