From there, they held meetings with members of grassroots organizations to coordinate a strategy to support the Honduran citizens.

They emphasized that it was necessary to defend the security of the members of Movimiento Madre Tierra, Friends of the Earth Honduras and of all the members of the popular movement who have rejected the de facto regime despite the brutal repression against them.

Last Sunday, the day planned for the return of President Manuel Zelaya to Honduras, the coup perpetrators prevented the plane where Zelaya was travelling from landing and fired at the crowd of citizens who were gathered peacefully to wait for him.

As a result of this, two people died and tens were injured.

“The coup in Honduras should be understood not only as an act against the people or the country, but as an attempt against the social battles won by the popular struggles aimed at ending hunger and injustice in the region”, a communiqué of the Friends of the Earth delegation reads.

“Such violent attitudes are motivated by the interests of groups and corporations which see their political and economic privileges that date back from the colonial times, collapse.

These privileges have been consolidated by capitalism and neoliberalism.

Their determination is such that they don’t mind challenging the international community represented by organizations like the OAS (Organization of American States) or the UN, which have condemned the military coup that the perpetrators aim to continue”.

Real World Radio spoke with two members of the mission of Friends of the Earth International: Karin Nansen, coordinator of REDES-Friends of the Earth Uruguay, and Mario Godinez Secretary of Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean.

They both stressed the important role that social organizations may play to demand strong positions from the respective governments condemning the de facto regime.

They announced the next international actions to be taken in support to the Honduran people.