More Violence
Attacks against trade unionists in Honduras spark international concerns
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The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), an organization representing 176 million workers in 155 countries and territories, issued a press release on Tuesday expressing concern over the persistent violence in Honduras.
“Unfortunately Honduras is submerged in a very concerning spiral of violence, that is why why the international trade union movement is following closely the human rights violations there. Being a trade union in Honduras and a member of the Front of Resistance today is very risky. In the recent weeks several trade union and grassroots leaders have received death threats and attacks”, reads the ITUC press release.
The ITUC says that some examples of these violent incidents are Oscar Molina’s murder, the brother in law of Porfirio Ponce, vice-chair of the Union of Beverage and Related Industry Workers, who was shot 42 times in daylight on June 10.
The trade union organization also mentions an attack perpetrated shortly after the murder of Molina against the secretary of Finance of the Secondary Education Teachers Guild of Honduras, Carolina Pineda, who managed to escape by taking refuge in someone’s house where she was protected from the attack of armed hooded men who ambushed her.
“Carolina Pineda is the head of the teachers’ organizations strongly committed with the struggle against the coup d’etat in Honduras. She had announced constant threats received over the phone and through text messages”, reads ITUC’s report.
Lastly, they mention the attack against Jose Luis Baquedano, Assistant Secretary General of the United Workers Confederation of Honduras, when he was driving his van with his daughter and three grand children last June 12.
His van was intercepted by a grey vehicle with polarized glasses. The men in the car fired at the trade union leader.
“Fortunately they did not hurt anyone. The trade union leader and the member of the board of the National Front of Resistance managed to escape. Shortly afterwards their vehicle was stopped by a police patrol. Instead of providing them help, the officers accused them of being responsible for the shots, letting the gunmen escape”, says the press release.
For this reason ITUC’s Secretary General, Guy Ryder, has sent two letters to the Honduran questioned president Porfirio Lobo – who won in illegitimate elections- asking him to act to secure the democratic safeguards in Honduras.
“It is essential to establish a rule of law where the fundamental freedoms of the working class and the Honduran people are enforced”, said the ITUC Secretary General.
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