US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA707

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000707 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, DRL/PHD, EB, DS, AND INR 
STATE PASS USTR 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, SOCI, ETRD, PINR, ASEC, HO 
SUBJECT:  Popular Block Protests Presence of Honduran Troops 
in Iraq and Against U.S. Foreign Policy 
 
Ref: Tegucigalpa 542 
 
1.  The Popular Block (Bloque Popular-BP) pulled together a 
small and peaceful two-hour demonstration on March 20 at the 
Embassy to protest the "War on Iraq."  The BP convoked its 
member labor unions, indigenous groups, affiliated leftist 
political party, the Democratic Union, student organizations, 
and human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs). 
Despite the participation of at least nine different 
"popular" groups, the estimated turnout was below the 
organizers' desired goal (although twice as large as previous 
protests.)  Embassy security officials estimated the crowd at 
about 300 people while local media reported its size at about 
1,000. 
 
2. The BP leader, Carlos H. Reyes, led the group's protest 
against Honduran President Ricardo Maduro's deployment of 
Honduran troops in Iraq and a wide range of other U.S. 
foreign policies, including the recently concluded Central 
American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the presence of 
U.S. troops in Honduras (a hardy perennial for the BP.)  He 
called for the return of Honduran troops from Iraq and the 
departure of President Maduro from office, calling on Spain 
to take away Maduro and his "gang".  He also warned that the 
(terrorist) attacks in Madrid demonstrated the risks Honduras 
was incurring for making common cause with what he termed 
President Bush's invasion of Iraq. 
 
3. Reyes charged that in the era of globalization the U.S. 
was pursuing two ways of taking over the natural resources 
and wealth of poor countries - free trade agreements and war. 
He said that "in the case of Iraq the (U.S.) applied a war 
policy but in Honduras and Central America it was using free 
trade agreements."  He then told the crowd that the BP called 
on the U.S. to end its military intervention in Iraq and its 
intervention in other countries around the world.  Other 
leaders reportedly called Presidents Bush and Maduro 
"fascists" and said they were the "terrorists."  The BP also 
announced a petition campaign to gather signatures in 
opposition to ratification of the CAFTA by the National 
Congress. 
 
4. Comment:  This protest by the BP was only sparsely 
attended, included at least two buses of protesters for hire, 
and evinced very little substantive support by the broader 
Honduran political spectrum, despite public opinion polls 
that show that approximately 70 percent of Hondurans are 
opposed to the deployment of Honduran troops in Iraq.  The BP 
remains unable to motivate mass public protest against either 
the Maduro government's policies or U.S. foreign policy, and 
poses at this moment a minimal political threat.  End 
Comment. 
 
Palmer