US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA2092

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TEGUCIGALPA 002092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
FOR DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/WHA, S/CT, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, PGOV, HO 
SUBJECT: SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE (SEPQ) 
FOR HONDURAS 
 
REF: A. STATE 185263 
 
     B. TEGUC 01472 
     C. TEGUC 01439 
     D. TEGUC 00542 
 
Classified By: DCM Roger Pierce, Reason 1.5 (C) and (D) 
 
1. (U) The following responses are keyed to the Security 
Environment Profile Questionnaire (ref A). 
 
POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
 
1. (SBU)  Demonstrations: 
 
(1-A.)  Yes.  Additionally, there are a number of 
organizations and groups under the loose collective 
leadership of (and affiliated with) the Bloque Popular that 
have been carrying out anti-American demonstrations, as well 
as demonstrations targeting local issues.  The following 
organizations have been involved in anti-American political 
activities to varying degrees.  They are listed in 
alphabetical order, utilizing Spanish acronyms where 
applicable. 
 
- ARTISTAS DE LA UNAH 
Artists of the National Autonomous University of 
Honduras (UNAH) 
 
- BLOQUE POPULAR 
Popular Block 
 
- COCOH 
Farmers' Cooperatives Union 
 
- CODECOH 
Honduran Consumer Protection Committee 
 
- CODEH 
Honduran Committee for Human Rights 
 
- COFADEH 
Honduran Committee of Family Members of the 
Detained and Disappeared 
 
- COHAPAZ 
Honduran Committee for Action for Peace 
 
- COLPROSUMAH 
Honduran Professional Teachers College 
 
- COMPA-H 
People of the Americas Convergence Movement 
(COMPA)- Honduras 
 
- COPEMH 
Honduran Association of Secondary School Teachers 
 
- COPINH 
Civic Council of Popular Organizations and 
Indigenous Groups of Honduras (also appears as COPIN) 
 
- COPRUMH 
Honduran Professional Association Teachers' Union 
 
- CGT 
General Workers Central (the largest of Honduras' three 
national labor confederations) 
 
- CTH 
Confederation of Honduran Workers (probably, the strongest of 
the three national labor confederations) 
 
- CUTH 
United Confederation of Honduran Workers (the most left of 
the three national labor confederations) 
 
- CRRP 
Regional Center for Popular Resistance (associated with 
Bloque Popular and FUTH) 
 
- FPR 
Popular Revolution Forces, A shadowy alleged revolutionary 
group.  See Reftel C for details. 
 
- FUTH 
United Federation of Honduran Workers (the largest component 
of CUTH, above) 
 
- FSM 
Feminist Movement (details TBD) 
 
- FUR 
University Revolutionary Front 
 
- GRUPO LOS NECIOS DE LA UNAH 
UNAH Fools Group - Activist group in UNAH that "cheerleads" 
and motivates demos 
- MEH 
Honduran Student Movement 
- PARTIDO DE LOS TRABAJADORES DE LA FACULTAD DE PEDAGOGIA DE 
LA UNAH 
Teaching Faculty Workers' Party of UNAH 
- RADIO GUALCHO 
Leftist/Activist radio station (1510Mhz) that works 
closely with Bloque Popular and is actively involved in 
most demonstrations 
 
- REPRESENTANTE DE FRENTE Y REFORMA DE LA UNAH 
Reform Front Representative of UNAH 
 
- SERUNAH 
New UNAH coalition group, like Bloque Popular 
 
- SETROINFOP 
Details Needed 
 
- SITRAINA 
National Agrarian Institute Workers' Union 
 
- SITRAIHSS 
Institute of Social Security Workers' Union 
 
- SITRAUNAH 
UNAH Workers' Union 
 
- SITRAUPEN 
A Workers' Union (details needed) 
 
- STIBYS 
Beverage and Associated Industries Workers' Union 
(plays a key organizing and logistics role for many 
demos)- Leader of STIBYS is also the leader of the Popular 
Block. 
 
- SITRAPANI 
Child Welfare Association Workers' Union 
 
- UD 
Democratic Unification Party (remnants of the Communist Party 
of Honduras and other former Marxist parties; represented in 
the National Congress) 
 
- UNAH 
National Autonomous University of Honduras 
 
- URP 
Revolutionary People's Union 
 
NOTE: The most fervent anti-U.S. groups are: MEH, URP, UD, 
Bloque Popular, STIBYS, COPINH and COMPA-H.  The following 
groups have committed and participated in violent acts 
against the Honduran Government and other entities:  Bloque 
Popular, COPINH, Democratic Unification Party (UD) and The 
Revolutionary People's Union (URP). 
 
(1-B.) Yes.  There have been 53 demonstrations in Tegucigalpa 
since September 2003.  While not all demonstrations are 
directed against the U.S. Government, almost all 
demonstrations have some undertone of anti-U.S. sentiment. 
 
Demo dates:  09/04/03, 09/05/03, 09/11/03, 09/16/03, 
09/17/03, 09/19/03, 10/02/03, 10/09/03, 10/29/03, 11/05/03, 
11/20/03, 11/21/03, 11/26/03, 11/27/03, 11/28/03, 12/08/03, 
12/11/03, 12/17/03, 12/19/03, 01/22/04, 02/06/04, 02/18/04, 
03/02/04, 03/20/04, 04/01/04, 04/14/04, 04/15/04, 04/21/04, 
04/29/04, 05/01/04, 05/03/04, 05/10/04, 05/20/04, 05/24/04, 
05/27/04, 06/01/04, 06/03/04, 06/04/04, 06/10/04, 06/14/04, 
06/15/04, 06/20/04, 06/22/04, 06/24/04, 06/25/04, 06/30/04, 
06/30/04, 07/01/04, 07/03/04, 07/08/04, 07/16/04, 08/11/04, 
08/26/04 
 
(1-C.)  About half of the demonstrations listed above have 
taken place at or near U.S. Mission facilities. 
 
(1-D.)  The size of anti-American demonstrations at the 
Embassy varies from twenty to over three hundred 
participants.  The larger demos usually consist of supporters 
from six to more than twelve different organizations, which 
operate as a loosely structured coalition under the guidance 
of Bloque Popular. 
 
(1-E.)  While there are demonstrations based on local issues, 
such as civil service salaries, privatization, IMF 
requirements, etc., U.S. actions in Iraq and the Central 
American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), and U.S. involvement 
in Venezuela and Haiti have become the current focus.  The 
following statements, demands, and gestures have been made 
repeatedly during past demos at the Embassy:  No to war in 
Iraq, No to war, Stop Plan Colombia, Pro-Human rights, World 
Peace, Stop Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), 
U.S. Forces out of Honduras (Soto Cano AB), burning U.S. 
flags, U.S. Military out of Cuba, U.S. destroy your WMD, Stop 
intervention in Venezuela, Stop Standard Fruit exploiting the 
indigenous people, No to CAFTA, No to privatization, Stop 
intervention in Haiti. 
 
(1-F.)  Generally peaceful, but demonstrators have burned 
U.S. flags, painted slogans on Mission outer perimeter walls 
and utilized homemade mortars to detonate large fireworks 
charges that are propelled high into the air before exploding. 
 
(1-G.)  N/A. 
 
(1-H.)  N/A. 
 
(1-I.)  Yes. 
 
(1-J.)  Yes.  Occasionally they will pass by the Embassy. 
 
(1-K.)  The size varies from a few hundred to 5,000 - 10,000 
people. 
 
(1-L.)  Generally peaceful but fences, grillwork and windows 
have been destroyed near the National Congress and many tires 
burned.  At times, suspected plain-clothes police have been 
held and beaten by hard-core protesters within the 
demonstrations. 
 
On occasion, small groups of thug-like cadre have 
initiated/instigated violence against static police guards by 
attempting to strike them in the lower leg areas not 
protected by riot shields, with heavy placard poles with 
large nails embedded in the ends.  Several police officials 
have been injured in unsuccessful attempts to get the police 
to use force. 
 
(1-M.)  N/A. 
 
2. (SBU)  Macro Conflict Conditions: 
 
(2-A.)  NO. 
 
(2-B.)  N/A. 
 
(2-C.)  N/A. 
 
(2-D.)  N/A. 
 
3. (SBU)  Host Country Capabilities: 
 
(3-A.)  No. 
 
(3-B.)  Yes.  Training by US Border Patrol(BorTac) Teams 
good, but GOH security infrastructure needs major 
improvements. 
 
(3-C.)  Yes. 
 
(3-D.)  No.  However, GOH intelligence units have an 
institutional awareness of and a modest capability of 
penetrating indigenous radical groups. 
 
(3-E.)  Yes. 
 
(3-F.)  No. 
 
(3-G.)  Yes. 
 
(3-H.)  Average/Below Average. 
 
(3-I.)  Average/Ineffective. 
 
(3-J.)  Average/Ineffective.  A relatively new unit within 
the Ministry of Public Security called the Frontier Police 
has been established to handle border patrol duties.  The 
unit is making positive steps towards border control but lack 
of funding and manpower are limiting the effectiveness of the 
unit. 
 
4. (SBU) Indigenous Terrorism-Anti American Terrorist Groups: 
 
 
(4-A.)  No. 
 
(4-B.)  N/A. 
 
(4-C.)  N/A. 
 
(4-D.)  N/A. 
(4-E.)  N/A. 
(4-F.)  N/A. 
(4-G.)  N/A. 
 
(4-H.)  N/A. 
 
5. (SBU)  Other Indigenous Terrorist Groups: 
 
(5-A.)  No. 
 
(5-B.)  N/A. 
 
(5-C.)  N/A. 
 
(5-D.)  N/A. 
 
(5-E.)  N/A. 
 
6. (C/NF) Transnational Terrorism-Transnational Terrorist 
Indicators: 
 
(6-A.)  No.  However, there are rumors that there are Basque 
Fatherland and Liberty (ETA), IRA, and Chiapas (Zapatistas) 
sympathizers in Honduras who could be involved in advising 
indigenous groups.  Some Hondurans are studying in Cuba and 
also conceivably could be receiving training in subversion 
and terrorism, although it is more likely they are being 
indoctrinated as agents of influence.  As this Cuban program 
for Hondurans is only a few years old, there have been no 
indications that such training is taking place. 
 
(6-B.)  N/A. 
 
(6-C.)  N/A. 
 
(6-D.)  N/A and NO. 
 
(6-E.)  N/A. 
 
(6-F.)  The only known hostile intelligence presence of note 
is Cuban.  While the Cuban mission appears to have extensive 
contacts with leftists and indigenous groups, there is no 
indication they are planning or supporting terrorism. 
 
(6-H.)  There is no shortage of weapons in Honduras.  It 
would also not be difficult for hostile terrorist elements to 
import weapons and/or explosives from neighboring countries. 
Palmer