Recuerdos de un Sindicalista - Gerardo Diaz (A Unionist Remembers)

(Spanish Language - Espanol)

Octubre 31 es el aniversario de la destruccion por medio de una bomba de las oficinas de FENASTRAS en 1989. Murieron 9 companeros, incluso la famosa Phoebe Velasquez, dirigente de vanguardia, y muchos heridos.

Gerardo Diaz fue el Secretario General de FENASTRAS en los anos ochenta, durante los dias de la mas fuerte represion en El Salvador. El habla dela naturaleza de esta represion, y las tacticas que los syndicalistas activistas desarollaron para aguantar el hostigamiento de la policia, escuadrones de la muerte, y paramilitares.

(October 31 is the anniversary of the destruction of the premises of the FENASTRAS union confederation, in 1989. Nine comrads died in the powerful bomb blast, including the famous leader, Phoebe Velasquez, and many more were seriously injuted.

Gerardo Diaz was the Secretary General of FENASTRAS in the late 1980s when El Salvador was subjected to some of the worst repression. From his home in Sydney (where he eventually sought political asylum) he talks about the police harassment the Union and its members endured, and the tactics the unionists developed to endure it - lessons that may be valuable today for the workers of neighbouring Honduras undergoing a similar repression).

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Original audio source (GerardoPt2CBR.mp3)

Honduras - more breaking news from Ricardo Salgado

10.4 Mb. 128 kbps. mono. 11 minutes 21 seconds.

Ricardo Salgado reports from Honduras on the withdrawal of Resistance Front Representative from the 'dialogue' between President Zelaya and the coup regime. A positive outcome is not likely, and it seems that repression of the Honduran people by the coup regime is growing proportionately. The interview was paused while Ricardo went out to investigate the sound of shooting in the streets - a sound he says, the Honduran people have become all too used to.

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Original audio source (RicardoSalgado14_Oct_2009.mp3)

Honduras - Israel Salinas habla (Spanish)

6.1Mb. 128 kbps mono 6 minutes 40 seconds

Israel Salinas del CUTH explicando lo que pasa en una semana critica para Honduras - 'Dialogo' con los golpistas incluyo un representante del Frente de Resistencia, Juan Barahona. Barahona se sentio obligado a retirar del dialogo, porque El Frente esta comprometido de no acceptar la condicion de prohibir una Asamblea Constituyente. Sin embargo El Frente sigue fuerte en su apoyo al Presidente Zelaya.

(Israel Salinas, Union leader of the CUTH explains what is happening at the beginnin of a critical week for Honduras. The 'dialogue' with the coup regime included a representative of the massive Honduran Resistance Front, Juan Barahona. Barahona felt obliged to withdraw from the 'dialogue' process because the Front is committed not to accept a condition that would prohibit a Constituent Assembly. Nevertheless, the Front is still strong in its support of President Zelaya. )

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Original audio source (IsraelSalinas14_Oct_2009.mp3)

Honduras tensions grow - Toni Solo

 

15.6Mb. 128 kbps mono 17 minutes 7 seconds

(Photo courtesy of Radio Gualcho)

Toni Solo returns to Nicaragua after a week in Honduras where he has picked up disturbing stories that someone is returning fire on the police. By most accounts the 'gangs' or 'maras' (closely involved with the narcotics trade in Central American countries) guarding their 'turf' - but in this case the police were pursuing and firing on a street demonstration that took refuge in a poor neighbourhood, or 'barrio'. But there was also another armed group defending the demonstrators who were clearly not gang members - this just a week after a report that a police station had been overrun and weapons taken.

While the demonstrations are well disciplined and strictly non violent, if the coup regime does not respond positively to the deadline offered this October 15 - after 115 days of non violent protest, some elements might be forgiven for thinking of armed struggle as an option.

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Original audio source (tortillaconsal_09_Oct_2009.mp3)

Honduras - breaking news from Ricardo Salgado

 

3Mb. 128 kbps mono 3minutes 18 seconds

(Photo courtesy of Radio Gualcho, Honduras)

While proclaiming to the international community and media that they are 'prepared to negotiate' the coup regime of Honduras has made it obvious that there is one point that they will not negotiate - that is the reinstatement of President Zelaya, who is sheltering in the Brazilian Embassy. The Micheletti coup regime set up a hydraulic lift with two snipers wearing night goggles on a level with the second story of the Embassy, in a clear attempt at further intimidate the President and his supporters inside. Ricardo Salgado reports from Honduras in an exclusive interview with community radio 2NimFm.

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Original audio source (RcardoSalgado09_Oct_2009.mp3)

Honduras - Toni Solo Pt. 2 - The regional context; Nicaragua's economy

7.2Mb. 128kbps mono 7 minutes 50 seconds

Part 2 of Toni Solo (tortillaconsal) interview on the regional context of the Honduras crisis. In this section Toni discusses the lessons learned from CAFTA after he spent an hour with the Nicaraguan Minister for Finance.

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Original audio source (Pt2tortillaconsal_10_Oct_2009.mp3)

Honduras Toni Solo Pt. 1 - Regional Issues

Sun, 11 October 2009

Honduras Toni Solo Pt. 1 - Regional Issues

25 Mb. 129kbps. mono 28 minutes

Toni Solo travels frequently between Nicaragua and Honduras. In this in depth interview he talks about the Honduras situation, 110 days after the coup, the latest developments, President Zelaya's deadline to break the impasse with the de feacto coup government, and what the implications of the Honduras crisis are for the region.

Direct download: Pt1tortillaconsal_10_Oct_2009.mp3
Category: Latin Radical -- posted at: 5:37 PM

Honduras update - Andres Conteris and Mel Zelaya from inside the Brazilian Embassy

7Mb 128kbps mono 7 minutes 23 seconds

Andres Conteris and others say that there may be a 'light at the end of the tunnel'. Elements within the military and business community that originally backed the coup are putting pressure on the Micheletti de-facto government to be less intransigent and negotiate.

The President and his supporters in the besieged Brazilian Embassy had high morale and were in good spirits, having just celebrated the birthday of the President's grandchild. He sent a gruff 'Saludos' to community radio in Australia.

But for the people of Honduras the issue now goes far further than reinstating Zelaya. They are demanding the Constitutional reform and determined to defy the suspension of Constitutional guarantees that has unleashed a wave of repression.

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Original audio source (CorterisZelaya04_Oct_2009Con.mp3)