Photo essay: Honduras, July 4 -- `Mel, Amigo, El Pueblo Está Contigo' (`Mel, our friend, the people are with you!')

Photos and text by James Rodríguez (posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with permission.)

Versión en español aquí. See also “Photo essay: Honduras, July 5: 100,000 gather to greet ‘Mel', army shoots and kills protesters''

Tegucigalpa, Honduras – July 4, 2009 – MiMundo.org – Today, thousands of people marched through the streets of Tegucigalpa in a peaceful protest against the coup d’etat that took place  on June 28. The march headed towards Toncontin airport as the mass march expected to welcome back forcibly removed President Manuel Zelaya, endearingly known as Mel.

The march was peaceful and no violent incidents were reported. Nevertheless, a nervous tension was felt throughout the capital city.
Numerous flyovers by military helicopters raised tensions even higher.

The march condemned the mainstream media's bias in favour of the military-installed de-facto government: “We are neither five nor a hundred, sold-out media, count us appropriately!”

As the march arrived at the airport, a heavy military and police presence awaited.

Snipers were positioned on rooftops and the control tower.

“Mel’s problems began when he raised the minimum wage. The rich are against him because he reached into their pockets in order to share the wealth with the people. If the constitution is reformed, business interests would lose some privileges.”

“Mel, our friend, the people are with you!”

Mel did not arrive today, as was thought. He is expected to arrive tomorrow July 5, when another massive march will resume and await his arrival.

[Go to “Photo essay: Honduras, July 5: 100,000 gather to greet ‘Mel', army shoots and kills protesters''.]

[James Rodríguez is an independent photo-documentarian based in Guatemala.This photo-essay was completed with the help of A. J. Bunch C. It is posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with permission. It first appeared at MiMundo.org.]