US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA808

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000808 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PD, WHA/CCA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
STATE FOR DRL, DRL/MLA, IO, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PHUM, PREL, KDEM, CU, HO, CHR-1 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON UNCHR RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
IN CUBA, APRIL 15, 2005 
 
 
1. On 4/14, the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
titled "Honduras will vote against Cuba."  The San Pedro 
Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo" carried an article 
entitled "Honduras supports the U.S. in resolution against 
Cuba." 
 
2. On 4/14, the evening television newscast "Hoy Mismo" on 
Channel 3 broadcast a statement by Leonidas Rosa Bautista, 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, who said "Honduras is 
exercising its multilateral right as a member of the UNCHR 
to vote as we think appropriate, we haven't presented a 
resolution as we did last year, we have exercised our right 
to vote as other twenty countries did, since the final 
result was 21 to 17 in favor of the resolution."  The Cuban 
ambassador in Honduras responded, "I'm not authorized to 
speculate about the reaction of the Cuban government on 
Honduras' support to the UNCHR resolution.  These matters 
are decided by the top authorities of each country." 
 
3. On 4/14, the evening television newscast "Vica Noticias" 
on Channel 9 also broadcast a statement by Minister Rosa, 
"We have exercised our sovereign opinion, I believe we as 
Hondurans should be proud of our international relations, we 
have always acted in accordance to our democratic 
principles." 
 
4. On 4/15, "Tiempo" published an article titled "Minister 
of Foreign Affairs tries to justify vote which favors 
embargo against Cuba," which included the following 
statement from the FM, "Honduras hasn't presented the 
resolution and neither has it sponsored it, we have read its 
content and we favor the resolution presented by the U.S." 
It also ran three AFP wire stories, entitled "U.N. condemns 
Cuba," "Cuba counterattacks, asks to investigate 
Guantanamo," "Exiled Cubans celebrate."  The Tegucigalpa- 
based moderate daily "El Heraldo" carried a statement by the 
Cuban ambassador in Honduras, titled "Our cooperation will 
continue."  It also published an AP story entitled "U.N. 
condemns human rights situation in Cuba."  La Tribuna ran 
three AFP articles, titled "U.N. condemns Cuba," "Perez 
Roque: Mexico betrayed us," "Cuban Minister of Foreign 
Affairs criticizes `pathetic and submissive' role of EU." 
 
Palmer