The repression in Honduras is not letting up. The repressive forces of the State and the paramilitary groups are targeting members of any movements, trade unions and popular and social organizations that are part of the National Popular Resistance Front (FNRP). And an urgent cry emerges from the depths of Honduras: “Don’t abandon us!”

According to information from the Commission of Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared in Honduras (COFADEH), in the last two months eight FNRP members have been murdered, another 25 have received death threats and 26 have been forced to flee the country to protect their lives and physical integrity.

Union leaders from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), judges, justices and public defenders who opposed the coup have begun a hunger strike for an indefinite period of time to protest mass layoffs and legal actions brought against them.

The country is living in an atmosphere of retaliation, indiscriminate persecution and attempts to divide and reverse the achievements of the popular and labor movement, which is committed to the consolidation of the Resistance  Front and the efforts to gather signatures for a National Constituent Assembly.

The latest development in this context of social disruption -which president Porfirio Lobo and a significant part of the international community are trying to conceal by projecting a false image of a country “getting back to normal”- is the news of death threats made against Carlos H. Reyes.

Reyes, president of the Union of Beverage and Related Industry Workers (STIBYS) and a member of the IUF’s International Executive Committee and the national coordinating committee of the FNRP, spoke with Sirel about this serious situation.

-What kind of threats did you receive?

-On May 20, I received a call on my cell phone from an unknown caller (number 226 99 65), and when I answered, a voice said, “We’re going to chop your head off, you bastard. Your days are numbered.” The caller repeated that three times and then hung up.

I told my wife about it and we decided to report the call to COFADEH, which immediately issued a statement denouncing what had happened. We then forwarded it to every organization that supports us, and the solidarity messages have been pouring in since.

I even heard from the US Embassy, which called to inquire if the threats had really happened.

-Why do you think you were threatened?

-My name has appeared in several black lists in the past, along with other people involved with the Resistance. Many of these people have been murdered already. It’s obvious that the aim is to alarm us and spread fear. We’re going to take security precautions, but we’re not going to let them get to us.

-These threats come just as a defamation campaign to discredit some Resistance leaders is being launched by certain media. Do you think the two are connected?

-I’m certain there’s a connection between them. The FNRP is the result of the union of different social and political forces, and there are certain sectors, like the liberal coup supporters, the US Embassy and what passes off for a government, which are trying to divide us, break us up and confuse people.

There are direct attacks and a malicious campaign is being conducted against the leaders of the Resistance and the social, popular and labor organizations that make up the FNRP. It’s obvious that what worries them most is our unity and the process underway to set up a Constituent Assembly.

-What steps are going to be taken to keep the Resistance united?

-The campaign against us is aimed at damaging the image of the leaders of the popular organizations that are part of the Resistance. They’ve even dared to suggest that the signature gathering campaign for the Constituent Assembly be halted until the entire leadership of the FNRP is replaced.

We’re going to denounce all of this and expose everything that is happening, to counter this defamation campaign aimed at undermining the unity of the Resistance.

-Are you going to do anything to protect yourself?

-I’m going to take the necessary precautions, because I’m not about to make these people’s “job” any easier. Before we finish, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the IUF once again for the support they’re giving me and for always being there, following our struggle closely.