Montreal: HOV/SBQ in solidarity with the people of Honduras

A classic military coup which the Latin America people have witnessed for almost 100 years took place again on Sunday, June 28. This time it took place in Honduras where democratically elected Honduras president, José Manuel Zelaya, was kidnapped by the military and taken to Costa Rica. The oligarch, the high command of the Army, the right-wing dominated Congress, and the tops of the judiciary collaborated to oust Zelaya and install their own "democratic" regime. Just like in Venezuela back in 2002, the masses responded by coming out on the streets to demand the return of their president. Not only in the streets of Honduras, all over the world people have staged rallies in solidarity with the struggle of the Honduras people. Here in Montreal, two solidarity rallies have been organized by Latin America solidarity groups whereby Hands Off Venezuela/Société Bolivarian du Quebéc supported and joined. 

The coup plot has been brewing since president Zelaya called for a referendum to form a Constituent Assembly. In fact the coup has been in the air since Zelaya started taking measures to alleviate the suffering of the Honduras masses such as signing an agreement with Venezuela and Cuba to import cheap generic drugs, therefore cutting the profit of the pharmaceutical multinationals that control 80% of the drug market, embarking on national literacy campaign, cutting of interest rates for small farmers, and increasing of minimum wage. At the same time, he took away some of the most glaring privileges that had been exploited by the Honduras ruling class. These reasonable reforms cannot be accepted by the oligarch as they tried to keep every penny to themselves. Politically these reforms were also seen to be dangerous to their rule as they can embolden the masses to be more confident and demand more changes.  

On Monday (June 29) and Wednesday (July 1), an ad-hoc "Committee against the coup in Honduras" organized solidarity rallies. This call was supported by Hands Off Venezuela/Société  Bolivarian du Quebéc and other Latin America solidarity groups (Acción y Solidaridad por Colombia (ASOCOLOM); Comisión de Solidaridad Internacional de la Asociación de chilenos de Quebec; FMLN Montreal; S.O.S. Salvador). In short notice, more than 50 people came out to demand the return of Zelaya and denounced this military coup. Members of Tendance Marxiste Internationale were also present with their banner, La Riposte. 

Flags from countries such as Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Cuba, and Brazil were present in the rallies, showing the support of the whole Latin America people for the Honduras masses. People were chanting "Non au coup d'État au Honduras", "Uh Ah Zelaya no se va", and "Harper exigez le retour du president, ne soyez pas complice" to voice their opposition to the coup and demanding the prime minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, to ask for the return of Zelaya as the only legitimate president of Honduras. The rallies attracted many passers-by who were curious and asking questions about what is happening in Honduras.  

Jorge Martin (the International Secretary of Hands Off Venezuela) in his recent article, Defeat the reactionary military coup in Honduras, pointed out correctly that "only through the mass mobilisation of the workers and peasants can the coup be defeated. Such a mass movement must also make an appeal to the rank and file soldiers to refuse to follow orders from their officers. Hugo Chávez posed it thus: ‘Soldier, empty out your rifle against the oligarchy and not against the people.'" The April 2002 coup in Venezuela was smashed by the workers, peasants, and the urban poor, and also the low-rank soldiers who joined the movement. This is an example that is now being taken by the Honduras masses as they came out on the streets now fighting fiercely to reinstall their president, and there has been report of workers' strikes as well.  

HOV/SBQ stand in full solidarity with the workers and peasants of Honduras. We call: 

Down with the reactionary coup in Honduras!

Mass mobilisation on the streets and a general strike!

Soldiers, turn your weapons against your officers and join the side of the people! 

More pictures:

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