4 July 2011 | Interviews | Free Honduras | Human rights | Social activists at risk
Increased Militarization
Increasing militarization in Honduras two years after military coup
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On June 28, two years after the coup d’état in Honduras, the Costa Rican Human Rights Association (CODEHU) presented the documentary entitled “Quien dijo miedo?” (“Who said fear?”) that provides a perspective from the Honduran resistance of the many human rights violations in the country during the dictatorship and the peaceful protest to that process by broad sectors of the population.
The documentary, produced by Honduran filmmaker Katia Lara, was launched in a small cinema of the Costa Rican capital, San Jose. Here’s the report of Real World Radio’s correspondent in Costa Rica, Henry Picado.
According to information published by the Committee of Relatives of Detained-Disappeared Persons, as of March of 2011, 95 political murders, 244 cases of cruel and inhumane treatment have been reported and 200 people have been exiled. Besides, 6,000 politically-motivated detentions took place and 157 people were prosecuted as a result of these.
During the presentation of the documentary, the chair of CODEHU, Ana Cecilia Jimenez, analyzed the situation of militarization and repression of social movements that has worsened across Honduras in the past two years.
The day of the coup d’etat, president Manuel Zelaya was overthrown by dictator Roberto Micheletti and the country’s military forces. He was taken to Costa Rica by a coup command. The documentary says the Costa Rican government facilitated the attempts of the military regime of Honduras to legitimize itself, as well as the later consolidation of that regime in the illegitimate elections where Porfirio Lobo came to power, despite 65% of abstentions.
Meanwhile, in 2008, the Costa Rican government under Oscar Arias administration authorized the police to use military weapons. A year later Arias administration allowed the entrance of US military in Costa Rica: over 13,000 troops, helicopters and war ships entered the country. Later on, a Costa Rican delegation participated in the Military World Games.
The chair of CODEHU told Real World Radio that “after the Free Trade Agreement that Costa Rica signed with the US the surge of police officers and of military troops is being justified”
Meanwhile, Jimenez says “Costa Rica continues to be one of the top countries receiving refugees from Latin America. In the case of the Hondurans they come here thinking they could stay”. However, several members of CODEHU warned during the presentation of the documentary, that the refugees face many problems in Costa Rica. The activists explained that the country has a high cost of living and that the recently approved immigration law is making it more difficult for immigrants to stay.
