• 2009.09.25: September 25, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Kristyn's Adventures in the Peace Corps" writes: We arrived at 3:30 to find out that the current government had called a nationwide 4:00 curfew. So we rushed to get food and get to the hotel.  Saturday, September 26, 2009 - 8:07 am [1]

• 2009.09.24: September 24, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Somos Honduras" writes: Currently the curfew has been lifted as their are various marches and demonstrations in Tegucigalpa. However, everything is calm and safe in our sleepy little town.  Friday, September 25, 2009 - 2:15 pm [1]

• 2009.09.23: September 23, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Bryan and Life in Honduras" writes: The political solution rears its ugly head again  Friday, September 25, 2009 - 2:14 pm [1]

• 2009.09.23: September 23, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Life in Honduras: my Peace Corps adventure" writes: Because of all of the vandalism and craziness the government has been issuing daily curfews  Friday, September 25, 2009 - 2:13 pm [1]

• 2009.09.23: September 23, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "Adventures in Catacamas, Honduras" writes: We are in the midst of a 50 hour curfew (nobody is supposed to leave their houses) which, according to the news, most people in Tegucigalpa seem to be obeying  Friday, September 25, 2009 - 2:11 pm [1]

• 2009.09.23: September 23, 2009: Headlines: COS - Honduras: Blogs - Honduras: Safety: Personal Web Site: Peace Corps Volunteer "HondurasBlog" writes: Here in La Paz the situation is quiet but the country is paralyzed by the political turmoil  Friday, September 25, 2009 - 2:09 pm [1]

Hondurans wait for crisis to unfold



Deposed president Manuel Zelaya took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, outside of which hundreds of his supporters gathered, before they were dispersed by police and troops on Tuesday. It is not known how many people may have been arrested, according to freelance journalist Manuel Torres, but in his mind, there is no doubt Honduras "is going through its worst days since 28 June", a reference to the day Mr Zelaya was arrested by soldiers and flown out of the country. "The country is in jail," Mr Torres said, a reference to the curfew imposed by interim President Roberto Micheletti across the country a few hours after Mr Zelaya made his surprise return on Monday.

Hondurans wait for crisis to unfold

Hondurans wait for crisis to unfold

By Arturo Wallace
BBC Mundo

Caption: Deposed president, Manuel Zelaya took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, outside of which hundreds of his supporters gathered, before they were dispersed by police and troops on September 22. Honduras protest at Braziian Embassy. Photo: vredeseilanden Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic

A city of empty streets, mainly silent except for the sound of police helicopters flying overhead now and again.

That is the situation in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, described to BBC Mundo by some of its residents more than a day after the dramatic return of the deposed president, Manuel Zelaya.

Mr Zelaya took refuge in the Brazilian embassy, outside of which hundreds of his supporters gathered, before they were dispersed by police and troops on Tuesday.

It is not known how many people may have been arrested, according to freelance journalist Manuel Torres, but in his mind, there is no doubt Honduras "is going through its worst days since 28 June", a reference to the day Mr Zelaya was arrested by soldiers and flown out of the country.

"The country is in jail," Mr Torres said, a reference to the curfew imposed by interim President Roberto Micheletti across the country a few hours after Mr Zelaya made his surprise return on Monday.

"They have suspended constitutional guarantees, so the national energy company has been taken over by the military which allows them to suspend the service as they wish," said Mr Torres.

Supplies low

Gilda Silves, a journalist with the El Patriota newspaper, says the capital is surrounded by tanks, soldiers and police to prevent the arrival of Mr Zelaya's supporters from other parts of the country.

"It was quite a drastic curfew. People barely had time to get back home," said Tegucigalpa resident Juan Pablo Carias.

"Unlike other times, this time there was no time to get provisions in," he said.

"You don't know what to expect, so you expect the impossible. There could be a political agreement or Mr Zelaya's arrest.

"But for now, the support for what they [the interim government] call 'a constitutional succession' seems solid."

For Manuel Torres, the hopes that some may have had that Mr Zelaya's return would be the signal for a "counter-coup" have faded, but he does not discard the possibility of talks.
A protester sits on a rock at a road block in Teugcigalpa
The crisis over Mr Zelaya's fate has divided Hondurans

"It's not clear but there are some signs," he said.

How people react if the curfew is prolonged for more time remains to be seen.

"There are those who oppose the coup [the removal of Mr Zelaya] who are trying to disobey and confront the military controls," said Mr Torres.

"But there are others who reject what's happened from their own neighbourhoods and homes. That is, they are not staying indoors but are using corner shops as places to meet and talk," said Mr Torres.

However, reports say shops are running low on supplies and supermarkets are closed.

It seems hard to think the current situation can go on for long, but in Tegucigalpa no-one is daring to predict how it will be resolved.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2009; Peace Corps Honduras; Directory of Honduras RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Honduras RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers

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Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

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Join Us Mr. President! "We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .

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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

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