Faced with the confirmation of a Coup in Honduras, the IUF, together with its 374 affiliates in 120 countries, strongly condemns this anachronistic form of authoritarianism trying to ignore the will of the people expressed in the latest election held in the country and declares the full support of the IUF and strong defense of democracy as the system for political, social and economic coexistence.

We, the IUF also indignantly report the attempt to kidnap our brother Carlos Reyes, General Secretary of the Union of Beverage and Related Industry Workers of Honduras (STIBYS) and member of the IUF International Executive Committee, who, along with other union members, was taking part in a peaceful demonstration against the coup.

Since last week we have been warning that in Honduras democracy was being increasingly in danger. That is why we published a letter sent to President José Manuel Zelaya on Friday 26, where we expressed our condemnation of the “conspiracy and seditious actions” plotted against the constitutional government.

At the same time, our correspondent in Nicaragua, Giorgio Trucchi, was asked to travel to Honduras where he still is at present, reporting permanently as a first-hand witness of the events. Giorgio’s presence there, is not only solidarity support of a representative of the IUF Regional Secretariat, and the IUF as a whole, but also aimed at breaking the silence of press censorship, typically imposed by dictatorships.

The civic-military group that ousted Honduran President José Manuel Zelaya on Sunday 28 is both an ideological reminder of the past, attempting to loom up out of the shadows, and a safeguard of very worldly economic interests of large multimedia groups, huge mining projects and agribusiness, banks and the financial system, maquilas and related business.  

The Honduran Armed Forces are taking part under the pretext of “addressing the political polarization”, but in fact they have no hesitation in trampling the laws, breaking the constitutional system and placing Honduras on the verge of greater polarization.  

We, the IUF lend our voice to the worldwide defense of Honduran democracy, of its legal institutions and of the right of the Honduran people to self-determination.

We also state our full and unrestricted support for our affiliates in Honduras and reach out our hand for solidarity with them.

We anticipate our agreement with all and every action aimed at reestablishing law and order; we will continue to demand the full force of democracy and individual and collective rights and liberties in Honduras.

Finally, we hold the illegitimate government of Roberto Micheletti liable and responsible for the safety and security of our brothers Carlos Reyes and Giorgio Trucchi, of the members of our affiliated unions and of the members of the popular and union movement of resistance.