EMERGENCY PICKET DEMANDS US CUTS FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO HONDURAS DICTATORSHIP

EMERGENCY PICKET DEMANDS US CUTS FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO HONDURAS DICTATORSHIP

A 100 people attended a lively emergency picket at the US Embassy in London on July 22nd against the recent illegal coup in Honduras, which demanded the USA cuts all financial and economic support to the illegitimate government in Honduras.

Speaking at the picket, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price said, "With sadness, what we see is continuity in US policy - not the change we can believe in, that we hoped for - we must demand from Obama that he delivers a change in US foreign policy."

Derek Wall, Green Party representative, added to this that, "In America you [also] have Republican senators and people behind the scenes in the apparatus who want the US to support the coup," making the need for international solidarity all the more important.

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn put the coup in context, saying that, "Honduras has a constitution drawn up in the 1980s designed to defend power, wealth and influence. It has always been the base for US interests in Central America. Presidents have always been from the same identikit parties and been against helping the poor. Zelaya recognised this and wanted to allow an indicator vote on extending democracy... It is up to us to mobilise for a democratic government in Honduras for the poor."

Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary of UNISON also praised the pro-Zelaya resistance in Honduras, saying that: "We've seen thousands and thousands of Hondurans campaigning on the streets for the return of their democratically elected President. That is why tomorrow there will be a general strike for the return of Zelaya and we give our solidarity to them."

NUS Black Students' Officer, Bell Riviero-Addy, condemned the near media 'black out' on the issue, arguing that,"If the US wanted this to end tomorrow it would. We all know there is nothing in the news about this and so it is important that we shout as loudly as possible, keep coming back and keep campaigning for the return of Zelaya."

Jose Villa of Unite the Union brought greetings from Latin American workers in Europe's largest trade union, stating that, "Unite the Union supports every campaign that defends democracy in Latin America. We will support this campaign until Zelaya returns as President."

Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Secretary Francisco Dominguez concluded the event arguing that forces in the US would continue to try to overthrow progressive governments in Latin America, "just as they did in Venezuela," and that this made "our solidarity with Honduras more important than ever."

The picket also received greetings from Tony Benn, CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes, Colin Burgon MP, John McDonell MP and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MEP amongst others.

The event was called by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and Unite the Union, and supported by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Justice for Colombia, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Stop the War Coalition, SERTUC and Noticias Latin America.


Over 40 parliamentarians, various public personalities, trade union leaders and others from across British society have signed a statement condemning the coup in Honduras.

A current list of signatories and the statement can be found at http://www.vicuk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=472&Itemid=30