Honduran Coup, Honduran People
Impact of the Coup in Honduras on People and Livelihoods
Jul 14, 2009
While world leaders scratch their chins and meditatively peruse the Honduras crisis, apparently trying but failing to find the solution, let alone make any binding commitment to help restore democracy to the country, millions of Honduran people are in limbo. If they weren't unemployed before the global economic crisis took its grip on them, many more wonder if they might be unemployed now. After all, they don't really know where they stand after their President was farcically bundled into a plane in his pyjamas at gunpoint and flown to Costa Rica, while an interim government assumed power. President Zelaya remained defiant and jumped on a plane back after a few days, but instead of landing in the capital city, people watched his plane circle above Tegucigalpa, unable to land because his 'replacement' ordered the runway to be blocked. Incredulity turned to horror when a man was shot dead in the ensuing demonstrations. Now, after two weeks of protests in the cities, trade blockades and disruption to business, the curfew on the people has finally been lifted, following interim leader Roberto Micheletti's broadcast claiming that his new government had managed to end opposition protests and restore 'harmony' to the people.
Reality for Hondurans
Despite the violent clashes and lack of resolution, the mood of the Honduran people is apparently resolute and strong. Flavia Cueva, owner of Hacienda San Lucas in Copan, says, “We are all optimistic that there is a major effort being given by all parties involved to return Honduras to normality and democracy. The general mood in the country is that people want to get back to work, and it is happening.” Although there is no doubt that the coup has been unsettling and brutal at times, some also believe that it will be worth it for a better future for the country. Cueva goes on to say, “The political situation in Honduras has brought an awareness in the population that social changes are urgently needed and the positive side to this is the awareness and the joining of voices for a better democracy. Personally, it makes me very happy.”
Fears for the Future of Honduran People
Although the Honduran spirit prevails, both in passionate words and public displays of solidarity on the streets, there is no denying that the short-term future for Hondurans is at crisis-point. Flavia Cueva has watched tourism drop to zero at the Mayan site of the Copan Ruins, which has been a desperate shock to the local people who have relied on tourism and the stable income and livelihoods it's provided them with for many years. “All businesses in Copan are feeling the crisis,” Cueva ascertains. “The global recession had already affected tourism for the second half of 2009 and with the latest development, things have completely stagnated.” Only a handful of tourists have found their way to Copan in the last weeks, via Guatemala, despite the fact that international airports in Honduras are operating normally. The Chamber of Commerce in Honduras has even released a statement to clarify that it is in fact safe for tourists to travel to Copan and the Bay Islands, since demonstrations over the coup have been largely contained in the cities.
Nevertheless, it seems that the wider global community is just too nervous to travel to a country that appears to be in such jeopardy. If that's the case, Flavia Cueva's belief that a better future for Honduras will stem from the crisis, is tinged with a very legitimate concern for the short-term. “My worry is how we will be able to stay open and continue to give work and hope to our twenty-five employees that now make a living and have found hope through tourism.”
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