Dina Meza
Julio Fúnes' funeral in SITRASANAA
The frontal position against the coup of June 28th is one of the major reasons that members of the Union of Workers of the National Autonomous Service of Aqueducts and Sewer SITRASANAA are one of the targets of the repressive forces of the coup, but that does not make us change our position, said Francisco Menjivar, president of the trade union, on Tuesday 16 February.
On Monday 15 February, Julio Fúnez Benítez was killed by men on motorbikes , a social activist who was strongly involved in popular protests, "for those not wanting to fight."
According to people close versions of the deceased, the local police did not respond to reports of assassination, that contributed to the executors leaving quietly after committing the crime, since the street has only one way out, the attitude of the Police seems to act on complicity, since it was a criminal act and they did nothing about it.
Julio was a tireless social activist, a militant man of principles and loyalty to the organization, took a position with extreme discipline with resistance to the coup, the outcome is that he was killed, said Menjivar.
Dozens of fellow men and women from SITRASANAA and other social organizations and friends and family arrived at the headquarters of the union where the remains are .
The tears could not be hidden in the room where the casket, his wife, daughters, sisters, mothers and those who knew him, lamented the loss.
Julio Fúnes during a National Front of Popular Resistance demonstration
The SITRASANAA president claimed that "many comrades have received threats, but that is becoming routine as well as some little messages on cell phones, which warn us that if we continue with the position we will see the consequences."
He added that there is more repression now than in the 80s where the disappearances occurred but now selective repression against all those who identify themselves as members of the resistance takes place and they aim to silence what has happened in the country.
He said the death rate has the characteristics of executions of paramilitaries, "there is no doubt that paramilitary are being financed, it is evident since the new government has not even separated the military leadership."
Lidia de Funes, wife of murdered trade unionist said the death has caused them pain that can not be explained, "I urge the international community for justice, to try to stop it because she can no longer stand this.
A colleague of Funes Benitez, who requested anonymity explained that about two hours before the murder,he had met with him and other union members to plan actions, which made him think that the murderers followed him and later executed him.
"He said he was receiving threats," his death makes us understand that they are paramilitary, the security minister is coming from Colombia and there are paramilitaries, so we are asking the international human rights investigations of Pepe Lobo because they say there is a large list that the paramilitaries have"
He noted that the threats have come down to him, "I had two calls to my home to both cellular and landline phone a week ago and I was told that there was a list and that possibly I was there."
In less than a month there have been two deaths of trade unionists, Vanessa Zepeda, the Union of Workers of the Honduran Institute of Social Security, SITRAIHSS, murdered on 03 February, Fúnes Benitez, along with a recent assault on the house of Porfirio Ponce Workers Union vice president of Beverage and Allied Industry, STIBYS.
Because of the damage done against trade unionists from different organizations, the Committee of Relatives of Detained and Disappeared in Honduras, COFADEH, sent an urgent action to report the incident and request the international community take decisive action to condemn these acts.
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