Honduras: Peasant protest over high cost of living blocks bridge and police launch tear gas

The price of fuels and electricity figures among the main reasons for the peasant protest registered in Yoro. (Photo: Proceso Digital HN) Tension between peasants and police officers marked a day of protest this Thursday in El Progreso, Yoro, where the blockade of the Quebrada Seca bridge caused a heavy traffic jam and left transporters and private drivers stranded for several hours. The mobilization began at 5:00 in the morning, when a group of demonstrators occupied the road to demand answers to their economic and agrarian demands. Among their main demands are the repeal of the Agroindustrial Reactivation Law, a halt to the increases in fuel and electricity prices, as well as measures to address the high cost of living and deal with difficulties related to access to land. The closure affected traffic on a highway that connects with different sectors of the Honduran Atlantic coast. As the hours went by, lines of vehicles stretched across several points in the area, while drivers waited for the road to be reopened. The protest also led to moments of tension when police officers used tear gas in an attempt to clear the highway and restore traffic flow. During the operation, some peasants expressed their displeasure at the police intervention and asserted that no prior dialogue had taken place before the tear gas was launched. The police gave participants a 10-minute deadline to vacate the highway, while awaiting the arrival of more officers to support the operation. (Photo: Proceso Digital HN) The demonstrators warned that they were prepared to defend themselves with sticks and stones if they were attacked again, amid a scenario marked by economic grievances and the demand that the authorities listen to their proposals. For his part, police commissioner Julio Méndez explained that the officers' instructions were to clear the public road as soon as possible. However, he stated that before resorting to other actions, they would attempt to establish a dialogue and negotiate with the participants. "If they do not agree, we have to comply with the law, which is to clear the public road as soon as possible," the official declared, referring to the police procedure. Méndez also warned that officers could use tear gas again if the situation required it, always under the established protocols for this type of intervention. At the scene, the police told the demonstrators that they had 10 minutes to leave the highway. While that deadline was running, the authorities awaited the arrival of more personnel to reinforce the operation. The police action heightened tension among the participants, who questioned the use of force and demanded that their grievances be addressed before proceeding with the eviction. The peasants demand the repeal of the Agroindustrial Reactivation Law and measures to address their demands related to access to land. (Photo: Proceso Digital HN) José Martínez, a representative of the demonstrators, questioned the intervention of the officers and maintained that the group had agreed to remain at the site for a longer time as part of the day of protest. The leader explained that the mobilization responds to the economic difficulties faced by numerous Honduran families, especially due to the increase in daily expenses, the price of fuels, and the cost of electricity. "We can no longer even eat. Look at how fuel is. Look at electricity — we can't anymore," Martínez expressed in describing the situation that, according to him, households are going through. The participants maintained that the blockade seeks to call the attention of the Government of Honduras to problems they consider urgent and to pressure the authorities to adopt measures that ease the population's economic burden. In addition to the demands related to fuels and electricity, the peasants insisted on the need to review agroindustrial policies and address the demands linked to access to land, an issue that is part of their claims to the State. The highway closure caused long lines of vehicles and affected transporters and private drivers traveling along the Honduran Atlantic coast. (Photo: Proceso Digital HN) The demand to repeal the Agroindustrial Reactivation Law constitutes another of the central points of the mobilization. The demonstrators seek to have their proposals incorporated into the discussion of public policies related to the agricultural sector. The closure of the Quebrada Seca bridge created complications for people who needed to travel through this area of Yoro, where transporters and private drivers reported being stranded for several hours. The interruption of traffic affected mobility along an important route for connections with other sectors of the Atlantic coast, while the police presence and the demonstrators' warnings kept uncertainty over the reopening of the passage. The peasants insisted that their intention was to make visible the economic difficulties they face and demanded that dialogue be prioritized to find answers to their demands. For its part, the National Police maintained its stance of restoring traffic on the highway and warned that it would act in accordance with the law if the participants did not comply with the order to clear the road.