Curfew Extended in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA.— The de facto authorities in Honduras have extended the curfew until next Friday, according to a communiqué from the secretary for information and the press, according to AFP.

The curfew will last from 9.00pm until 5.ooam, says the communiqué.

For their part, popular leaders denounced that the soldiers controlling the country have detained numerous supporters and former officials of the defeated President Zelaya without due legal process.

While the international community is unanimously called for Manuel Zelaya’s return to his post, this Tuesday the coup faction put out an international warrant for his arrest, accusing him on 18 charges, including betrayal of his country, corruption and abuse of authority.

Translated by Granma International

Lazo Heads Cuban Delegation at the Inauguration of Panamanian President

Esteban Lazo Hernández, Vice President of the Council of State, is presiding over the official Cuban delegation attending the inauguration ceremony of Panamanian President elect, Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, which will take place today in Panama City.

The Cuban delegation will also hold talks with officials of the new Panamanian administration and will take part in the activities organized for the occasion.

Hondurans Marching for Zelaya

TEGUCIGALPA, JulY 1 (PL). — Tens of thousands of Hondurans are marching towards the capital to support the return of constitutional President Manuel Zelaya after a coup three days ago, informed grassroots leaders.

Representatives of the teachers union told media of preparations of demonstrations in different departments such as Cortes, Choluteca, Comayagua, Santa Barbara and Copan, although the military continue repression and patrolling the main highways.

One of the leaders of this sector, Freddy Vega, explained that about 10,000 people are entrenched in the arteries that lead to San Pedro Sula, administrative center of Cortes to begin the march towards Tegucigalpa.

Military regimes cannot continue in Honduras and the people will wage a heroic battle to prevent it, the teacher explained.

Vega recalled that they lack the possibility to mobilize the citizens through radio or television because the military has control of the stations.

Our call receives silence of the mass media however, it reaches the heart of Hondurans, the educator explained.

Along the way to the capital, he added, we hope to gather many people because the spirit of struggle is growing. For Hondurans, he believes, there are two ways out: power of the military headed by Micheletti or power of the people headed by Zelaya, prepared to win against perpetrators of the coup.

When we reach Tegucigalpa we will be met by about 20,000 or 30,000 armed soldiers but we do not want violence nor are we carrying any sort of weapons, but we are going with a spirit of battle, he said.

The coordinator here of the movement Via Campesina, Rafael Alegria, informed that several towns are also holding popular protests in plazas and main roads in support of Zelaya and demanding return to constitutional order.

Resistance, he said, is increasing and the country is paralyzed. Only in the capital street protests gather several thousands of citizens despite the brutal military repression during the past hours that has caused one death and hundreds of wounded.

The vicinity of the Presidential House is another scenario of civic resistance in this capital informed one of the protesters, Juan Barahona, pointing out that they stay a prudent distance away to prevent confrontation with the soldiers but the combative spirit grows and no one can stop it.

Hondurans for Zelaya, Democracy

TEGUCIGALPA, July 1 (PL). — The Honduras Popular Resistance Front affirmed on Wednesday continued massive protests rejecting the military coup and demanding President Manuel Zelaya's return.

The leaders of the organization, made up of trade unions and youth, farmer, women, and human rights groups, announced they will gather near the presidential residence after some 10,000 people were there yesterday, trade union leaders said.

The demonstration took place 24 hours after hundreds of police agents and military violently moved away demonstrators there since last Sunday.

Today is the third day of a general strike summoned by those organizations until democratic institutionality is restored in the country, and Zelaya returns to the presidency.

Cuban Experts in Ecuador for Studies on Disability

QUITO, June 30 (PL). — A group of Cuban specialists travelled to Ecuador on Tuesday to begin scientific studies on disability in the province of Cotopaxi the following day.

We’re talking about the "Manuela Espejo" mission of solidarity, which is part of the projects of the Revolution of the People, aimed at determining the number of disabled people in that Andean territory and the causes and possible solutions of the problem, highlighted Ecuadorean Vice-president Lenín Moreno on Monday

While presenting the program, the top official highlighted that Cuban and Ecuadorean specialists will work jointly to provide the nation with scientific bases on which actions and policies to prevent disabilities will be formulated.

He specified that joint brigades will visit every single house, in order to determine the living conditions of the disabled and "respond to their needs".

This will be the first time such a study will be carried out in Ecuador and we’ll find definitive solutions to the problems of people with some kind of disability or lack of skill, he affirmed.

"This project will be a milestone and will be the mainstay for the development of policies and plans with a quantified assessment on people with disabilities and their needs", he stressed.

A total of 62 Cuban Specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, Masters in Genetic Advice, psycho-pedagogues, specialists in neurophysiology, neuro-pediatricians, geneticists, and clinical doctors are expected to participate in this mission that will last 30 days.

The vice-presidency of the Republic, the Armed Forces and the public Health Ministry are also involved in this task.

According to the results obtained in Cotopaxi, the Ecuadorean government will analyze the expansion of this study to another 23 provinces in that nation.