Honduras Political Parties

Honduras essentially has had two dominant political parties, the PNH and the PLH, for most of this century, with the military allying itself with the PNH for an extended period beginning in 1963. The PLH was established in 1891 under the leadership of Policarpo Bonilla Vásquez and had origins in the liberal reform efforts of the late nineteenth century. The PNH was formed in 1902 by Manuel Bonilla as a splinter group of the PLH. Between 1902 and 1948, these two parties were the only officially recognized parties, a factor that laid the foundation for the currently entrenched PNH (red) and PLH (blue) two-party system. In the early 1990s, the internal workings of the two traditional political parties appeared to be largely free of military influence. Since the country returned to civilian rule in 1982, the military has not disrupted the constitutional order by usurping power as it did in 1956, 1963, and 1972, and it no longer appears to favor one party over the other as it did with the PNH for many years.

ccording to political scientists Ronald H. McDonald and J. Mark Ruhl, both parties are patron-client networks more interested in amassing political patronage than in offering effective programs. As observed by political scientist Mark Rosenberg, Honduran politicians emphasize competition and power, not national problem-solving, and governing in Honduras is determined by personal authority and power instead of institutions.

Gee, that sounds familiar.

A news source from NAFBPO today.

By m3report

El Financiero (Mexico City) 7/7/09

Guatemalan humanitarian activists returning to Guatemala from a visit to Honduras reported that “at least five people have been executed without judicial authority” following the events of June 28 in which Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was expelled from the country by the military. [M3 Report 6/29/09] The humanitarian mission reported that “the militarization of the country (Honduras) and the indiscriminate use of uncontrolled force has resulted in human rights violations as basic as the right to life.” The activists said they were able to verify at least five “extrajudicial executions” as a direct result of the situation in Honduras. Claudia Samayoa, director of the human rights activists in Guatemala said that among the victims there were two youths assassinated Sunday by the Army on the outskirts of the international airport at Tegucigalpa. She also listed the assassination of journalist Gabriel Fino Noriega, a Radio America correspondent, and the deaths of two of President Zelaya’s sympathizers. She also mentioned a person killed when run over by a military vehicle during a demonstration. Regarding the death of Fino Noriega, Radio America said the attack on the journalist was not connected and had nothing to do to the political crisis.

http://m3report.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/militarization-of-hondras-has-resulted-in-indiscriminate-use-of-uncontrolled-force-upon-the-citizenry/

We already know that only one pro-Zelaya demonstrator was killed at the airport on Sunday and it is suspected that his bullet wound was a non-military caliber. So that part is BS. Very little else coming out of Honduras supports the rest of that assertion that Honduras has been militarized.

What has happened in Guatemala (if it really has happened) can't be laid at Honduras' doorstep IMO.

20 Armed Nicaraguans Detained at Protest Conclusion, Claims Military Officer

[Honduras] Killing Bullet Is Not Of Military Caliber

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