Daily Report

Honduras: Micheletti appoints death squad veteran

Fears that the de facto regime in Honduras is availing itself of expertise in repression from the bloody years of the 1980s were vindicated by reports that coup-installed President Roberto Micheletti has appointed as special advisor one Billy Joya Améndola—named as one of the principal leaders of the 316 Battalion death squad.

Honduras: showdown at border as Zelaya attempts to return

More than two weeks after the Honduran military blocked his jet at the Tegucigalpa airport, deposed President Manuel Zelaya made a second attempt to return to the country July 24—sparking another confrontation between his supporters and security forces. This time, he approached by land from Nicaragua, in a motorcade that that included journalists, political supporters and the foreign minister of Venezuela, as well as an escort of Nicaraguan police. At the Honduran border post of Las Manos, a thick line of soldiers held back hundreds of Zelaya supporters chanting "Viva Mel!"

Chávez protests Colombian plan to host US bases

Speaking at a military ceremony in Caracas July 21, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez accused neighboring Colombia of making an "unfriendly gesture" towards his country with its plan to open its territory to permanent US military bases. Accusing the US of attempting to foment a coup in Venezuela, while staging destabilization efforts on its borders in Colombia's Guajira region, Chávez addressed Bogotá: "You are opening your house to an enemy of your neighbor." (El Observador, Caracas, Prensa Latina, July 23)

Ecuador signs oil deal with China

Ecuador signed a deal to export some 3 million barrels of crude oil to China through the Petrochina company, with the Andean country to receive $1 billion as an advance payment, the statal Petroecuador announced July 23. The first payment represents 28% of the total value of the oil that Ecuador has agreed to export. Ecuador produced over 485,000 barrels of crude oil per day in May. Quito is also negotiating a $1 billion loan with China, economic minister Diego Borja said earlier this week. (Reuters, July 23)

Protesters "massacred" in south Yemen

Yemeni security forces July 23 opened fire on thousands of protesters in Zinjibar, provincial capital of Abyan in the country's restive south, killing 12 and wounding scores of others. "Government forces have committed a massacre against unarmed civilians, firing live bullets and killing 10 people," said Ali Dehmes, an opposition leader in the south. Two more protesters apparently died in the hospital. (AP, July 23)

Honduras: talks break down again; Otto Reich denies involvement

The delegation of ousted Honduran President Mel Zelaya July 22 rejected a 12-point proposal drawn up by Costa Rica's Oscar Arias that called for his reinstatement as early as this Friday, July 24. Zelaya's delegation cited unacceptable conditions attached to his return to office. Representatives of the de facto government said they would submit the proposal to the Honduran Supreme Court and prosecutor general's office. However, both institutions have already rejected Zelaya's return to power. "The San José Accord has failed," said Rixi Moncada, head of Zelaya's delegation. Nonetheless, Zelaya vowed to return to Honduras this weekend, saying, "Only God can stop me." He called on supporters to flood Honduras' borders to greet him.

Honduras: dockworkers call for boycott

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), which represents 656 unions worldwide with 4.5 million members, issued a call on July 17 for its members to carry out protests against Honduran shipping. The federation said it was expressing opposion to a June 28 military coup which replaced Honduran president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales with a de facto government. "We have to put real pressure on the Honduran military to allow the country to revert to democracy," ITF general secretary David Cockroft said.

Mexico: international unions back miners

A delegation of union leaders and parliamentarians from 13 countries visited Mexico for five days during the week of July 8 to show support for the National Union of Mine and Metal Workers and the Like of the Mexican Republic (SNTMMSRM) in its three-year struggle against the Mexican government and the Grupo México transnational. Organized by the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), and the United Steelworkers (USW), the delegation included legislators from Australia, Canada and Peru, and union leaders from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the US.

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