Honduras Human Rights Delegation Report: Observations from the National Primary Elections of Nov. 18, 2012

December 9, 2012

Honduras Human Rights Delegation Report: Observations from the National Primary Elections of Nov. 18, 2012

 

Katey Borland and Allison Fish discussed the current political situation in Honduras given the upcoming elections. The focus of their research is on primary elections held on November 18, 2012, in light of the 2009 coup and overthrow of Manuel Zelaya, military rule, and violence against journalists, LGBTQ activists, and campesino activists.  

After joining thirty other volunteers and North American representatives of civil society on a delegation aimed at witnessing the primary elections and accompanying voters and opposition candidates, they argue that the current scenario in Honduras represents a grim setting for democracy. This talk reported the initial findings of the delegation.

In addition to volunteering, they are interested in understanding the role of such groups in advancing the international human rights agenda. Who volunteers? How do they foster and maintain meaningful connections with members of Honduran civil society and/or with each other? How do their experiences on the ground in Honduras feed their broader understandings of solidarity?