Honduras: Doctors, Teachers Continue Protests Against Gov’t

Teachers and doctors of Honduras continued their demonstrations Sunday against the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH), demanding improvements in the health and education sectors.

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"The calls to continue with the actions in different parts of the country are in force and we call on the population to continue organizing and incorporating this movement," said the president of the College of Pedagogues of Honduras, Edwin Hernandez.

The Platform for the Defense of Health and Education, composed mainly of public sector doctors and teachers, refused to participate in the meeting convened by the government until it responds to the nine-point agenda raised by the protesters.

"These conditions to date have not been met, we have not had a response from the government other than a circus that he set up with political activists in the Presidential House," Hernandez continued.

Teachers, students, medical professionals, and the general public have been holding nearly continuous month-long strikes across Honduras in reaction to two laws passed by Congress in late April.

Many Hondurans say the laws would privatize the nation’s health and education programs, and lead to mass layoffs in these sectors. The decrees were officially revoked on June 2, but protesters said they remained concerned.

The demonstrations are continuing despite incidents of police repression after the Ministry of Security launched its “zero tolerance” policy against the protesters. Ending police brutality against protesters have also been added to their list of demands as well as impartial investigations into those cases.

The Honduras Association of Taxis (Ataxis) also joined the protests demanding subsidies from the federal government.