by Keith Richmond
As the stand-off between the ousted President, Manuel Zelaya, and coup leader Roberto Micheletti continues in Honduras, the Emergency Committee Against the Coup in Honduras is organising a protest at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square on Wednesday (November 4).
Colin Burgon, Labour MP for Elmet, told Tribune: “As the ousted Honduran government has said, there needs to be tougher action against the coup and this picket has therefore been called to demand that the United States cuts off all financial support to the dictatorship.
“President Zelaya has called for Western hemisphere countries to step up sanctions against the coup regime and now is the time to step up our solidarity with the Honduran people.”
The demonstration, from 5.30 to 7.30pm, is calling for an end to all US economic, political and military support for the dictatorship in Honduras.
Matt Willgress, co-ordinator of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, which organises the Emergency Committee with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign and the union Unite, said: “We are calling for an end to the coup in Honduras, demonstrating to defend human rights there, and say there can be no election without the restitution of Zelaya.”
He is still holed up in the Brazilian Embassy, which is surrounded by troops. Micheletti has resisted international calls – and popular protests in the capital Tegucigalpa – to step aside and let him return to the presidential palace, resume his job and serve out his term, which ends in January.
New elections are scheduled to take place on November 29, but it is not clear if the coup leaders will allow them to go ahead.
