As the democratically elected president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, remained in exile in Costa Rica against his will, the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and the FMLN (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional) called for another emergency solidarity demonstration on July 4 in San Francisco demanding the immediate reinstatement of Zelaya.
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A picket of about a hundred people protesting the rightwing coup in Honduras took place in front of the Honduran consulate, as hundreds of shoppers passed by listening to the rally and chanting. Many activists participated despite it being a holiday. The FMLN mobilized people, along with the ANSWER Coalition, the Taskforce on the Americas, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and others for this successful rally.
The picket shouted spirited chants like, “Alerta, Alerta, Alerta: Que camina la Fuerza Popular por America”; Zelaya Sí, Golpistas No!”; and “If there is no solution, there will be a revolution!”
In one week, there have already been three San Francisco emergency actions in solidarity with the Honduran people and denouncing the coup.
Meanwhile the Obama administration has refrained from condemning the coup and breaking relations with the military government until Zelaya is returned, as many other nations did on June 28, when the coup took place.
Two Honduran community people spoke, including San Francisco community activist Porfino Quintarno, and a man who used to work for one of the banana companies.
Activists handed out an ANSWER statement with a brief history of the U.S. military and corporate role in Honduras.
Speakers of the rally included Salvador Cordón of the FMLN, Gloria La Riva and Rosa Peñate for ANSWER, Dale Sorenson of Taskforce on the Americas, Cristina Gutiérrez for Barrio Unido, Henry Clark for the West Coast Toxics Coalition, and Saul Kanowitz of the PSL. A special message to President Zelaya and the Honduran people from Gerardo Hernández, on behalf of the Cuban Five, was also read.
There was a great feeling of solidarity and unity for the Honduran people in struggle, among the organizations and people coming out for the protest. The day ended with everyone prepared to respond to new developments this weekend and in coming days.
