Honduras: Demonstrations continue throughout country December 1 /update 10

Event

Pro-opposition election demonstrations continue throughout Honduras on Friday, December 1. Consequent widespread transportation disruptions have been reported: in Tegucigalpa, lingering debris from the previous days' demonstrations has led to traffic disruptions on Centroamérica Boulevard and Anillo ​Periférico (ring road), and Honduran police forces have reportedly blocked Fuerzas Armadas Boulevard near the Vocational Training Institute (INFOP). Opposition demonstrators also blocked the CA-13 highway between San Pedro Sula and La Lima on Friday; several parts of the CA-13 highway remain obstructed by opposition demonstrators on Friday. Protesters set toll booths ablaze at the San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and Puerto Cortés exits. Additional transportation disruptions have been reported in La Ceiba, on thoroughfares to Pimienta, Naco, and La López Arellano, and along a highway exiting Tegucigalpa in the direction of Olancho department, according to local media reports released Friday.

At least 11 people have been wounded in violent clashes between opposition protesters and police over the past few days; ten people were hospitalized in Tegucigalpa on Thursday night. Additional protests, political violence, and associated transportation disruptions are expected in the coming days throughout Honduras, and particularly in Tegucigalpa, amid the impending election results announcement.

Context

The electoral commission - the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) - has been criticized by international observers for a lack of transparency amid the ongoing vote counting process, which is taking longer than expected. Opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla has claimed that the TSE has manipulated the election tally in President Juan Orlando Hernández's favor in recent days. As of Friday morning (local time), President Hernández narrowly leads Nasralla in the vote count with over 94 percent of votes tallied.

The campaign period was also marked by high sociopolitical tensions, with President Hernández's re-election bid denounced as illegal by the political opposition. At least one segment of the opposition already announced it would not accept the results should Hernández be re-elected.

Advice

Individuals in Honduras are advised to monitor developments to 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.