Honduras: President Hernández calls for dialogue Dec. 19 /update 24

Event

President Juan Orlando Hernández called for dialogue and peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday, December 19, after days of unrest. While protests largely dissipated by Tuesday, widespread vandalism and looting took place in San Pedro Sula and other cities on the evening of Sunday, December 17, and Monday, December 18. Further unrest is possible in the coming days, particularly in San Pedro Sula and the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Violent clashes between protesters and security forces cannot be ruled out.

Context

Protests denouncing the results of the November 26 presidential election have been ongoing throughout the country over the past three weeks. There have been reports of vandalism and looting, particularly in urban areas. On December 1, military officials announced that the government had suspended several constitutional rights, granting security forces greater power to address election-related protests and violence. On December 17, Honduras’s electoral authorities (Tribunal Supremo Electoral; TSE) confirmed incumbent President Hernández as the official winner of the country’s presidential election. Opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla issued a call for his supporters to protest across the country the following day.

The Organization of American States (OAS) reported "irregularities" during the vote and has called for fresh general elections.

Advice

Individuals in Honduras are advised to adhere to any instructions issued by local authorities, to monitor the situation, and to strictly avoid all demonstrations.

Visitors to the country should note that political activism by foreign nationals is prohibited under Honduran law. Foreigners who take part in demonstrations or other political activities risk detention and or/deportation.