The incident, perpetrated by the military forces with the support of Congress, overthrew the President and prevented to carry out the popular consultation. Ironically, the perpetrators of the coup claim all this was in the name of the respect to the constitution, the laws and democracy.

The coup d’état was unanimously condemned by the international community. Every Latin American government raised its voice in protest against the ousting of Zelaya. The Organization of American States (OAS) demanded his immediate reinstatement, in an emergency meeting.

“The military promoting the coup have no place” in Latin America, said Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS. Several Latin American presidents firmly expressed this position, demanding that the necessary measures are taken in order to prevent the return of the dark era suffered by the continent during the years it was ruled by military dictatorships. The US President, Barack Obama, said he is deeply concerned about the situation in Honduras, and supported its President.

The Union of South American Nations (Unasur), announced it would not recognize a government other than the one democratically elected in Honduras – as the Congress tried to disguise the coup as legal by appointing the head of Congress, Roberto Micheletti, as the interim head of state – and demanded the immediate reinstatement of democracy in the country.

Unasur “strongly rejects the attempt of a coup d’état in Honduras and gives its full and unreserved support to the constitutional government of the President of the Republic Jose Manuel Zelaya”, the agency’s resolution reads. It particularly condemns “the kidnapping of President Zelaya and his ministers and the take-over of government buildings by groups that seek to destabilize democracy”.
Civil society organizations, human rights groups, environmental federations and trade unions also condemned the coup.

A statement issued by environmental organization Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean reads: “We demand the Honduran Armed Forces to immediately reestablish the social peace in Honduras and the respect for the elected authorities, and to not be manipulated by the oligarchy and the economic power that pressure to continue benefiting from the neoliberal model installed in this country and the neighbouring countries. The Honduran Army should respect the physical integrity of the social movements and organizations, and of the demonstrators who are defending the institutional order and the popular consultation called for this Sunday 28th, and called off by the coup”.

“These desperate military actions take place as the Honduran government has taken measures to benefit the poorest sectors of the country, which imply adhering to ALBA, reforming the Honduran state to stop being part of the neoliberal system, so as to become a modern state at the service of the citizens”.

Also, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) said in a communiqué that the workers’ organizations worldwide reject the military coup and Zelaya’s deposition.

“The coup staged by the military is the last incident in a confrontation between the political powers of the country, in response to the decision of President Zelaya to carry out a non binding popular consultation, to decide on a constitutional reform process that would enable to renew Honduras political structures. The consultation (...) had been reported as illegal by Congress and by the Judiciary, who called for the military intervention to prevent the consultation from taking place. The action articulated by the traditional parties, the economic groups and the big mass media pushed the armed forces to intervene under the pretext of protecting the institutions, which has led to a dangerous fracture of democracy”, said ITUC.

The statement also includes the information spread by the Honduran workers’ central, which points out that after the coup, the military is creating black lists of social and political leaders who are wanted for their commitment with the popular consultation.

Right now there are massive popular mobilizations in Honduras despite the announced repression by the military. These protests aim to show the popular commitment with the reinstatement of the democratic government.

A strike for indefinite time has been called until this is actually achieved, while hundreds of people have decided to ignore the curfew imposed by the de facto president. They marched to the Presidential Palace, setting up improvised barricades. They are still there despite the shootings, despite the empty words from the radio urging them to return to their work place or to school. They are there because they refuse to give in to the coup attempts that aim to end democracy.