With Election Fraud in Tow, Honduran Police Calls out State Repression, Announce National Strike

Expressing dismay over the ongoing state repression in Honduras under the rightwing president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, JOH, as an election fraud is apparent, the National Police in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa has called for a national strike starting Tuesday. 

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 A Honduras police officer said on the local television network, UNE,  that some officers will go on a hunger strike as they are tired of taking orders from corrupt politicians to go after innocent people, adding that they aren't machines and are tired of seeing people's blood spill. 

"We can not become violators of Human Rights, if we do it sooner or later we will pay the debt, in fact we are already paying for the violations committed by our superiors in the past, please reconsider and understand and we do not fail our noble institution," the official statement issued by the National Police stated.   

The officer also added the uniformed officers are demanding better conditions, which were denied by the deputy director, Jose Aguilar after a police captain was dismissed. 

"We told him that we did not need bosses, but leaders, my commissioner was that leader"  the officer said, further adding, "we just wanted a patrol, good food, rest and also an explanation why only the auxiliary staff's salary was raised and not the operative staff as we, who patrol the street."  

"It is not fair that security ministry, Julian Pacheco, a puppet of JOH, has made an increase to the auxiliary staff that only happens to be in offices and to us who really sacrifice ourselves day after day in the streets we do not receive anything, we want that we also be provided as public employees and treated with the respect that we deserve," the official statement, read. 

The members of the police laid out some demands as part of the protest, including better patrol conditions and food. Amid a fractured political milieu in the central American country, the uniformed men are at risk of being discharged without cause.  

According to their complaint, several state agencies, the special units: Cobras, Tigers and Special Services (protection of dignitaries), as well as the national preventive police, are at risk under the current president. 

Shortly after a more detailed statement was read on National television in Honduras and it reads:

To Honduran society in general, the National Police as a permanent government institution, as established by the constitution of the republic, guarantor of the strictest respect for Human Rights

INFORMS:

1. We express our unease with the Government for the current crisis which our Honduran society finds itself in day in day out, part of a political crisis that doesn't concern us.

2. Our people are sovereign and we owe ourselves to them, therefore, we cannot continue to confront them and suppressing their Rights.

3. We let the public know that our leadership is ready to follow political guidelines, hence, we ask intermediate officers to take control of our institution due to the ineffectiveness of our Superiors who have helped little to solve this State problem.

4. We are human beings that also have the right to free expression.

5. Immediately we ask that the Government of Honduras find a solution to this conflict.

6. This is not related to political ideas, or work demands, but simply due to our unconformity

with what is happening.

7. We champion peace and tranquility for our People as soon as possible.

8. We demand that our hard work be treated with the aim of Honduras Security, with a just fair hearing of our Rights.