Here I put my translation of the Honduran Hymn to Mothers, used for Mother’s Day:

Lyrics: Augusto C. Cuello.
Music: Rafael Coello Ramos.

Chorus

In the name of mother is enclosed
The highest expression of love.
For there cannot be on earth
A clearer picture of God.

Solo

When we open our restless eyes
At the first glow of life,
It’s her pale and moved face
Our first and sweet vision.
And upon entering the unknown path,
At her holy and charitable shadow,
Every thorn that wounded our sole
Is turned by your hands into bloom.

Mother, you are our consolation in sorrow,
Hope and faith for the road,
A good tree that gives to pilgrim
Rest, shelter and peace.
Your love is sanctified in such way
That God himself being tortured to death
Sublimated his holy martyrdom
With your last kiss on his face.

As a holy service Honduras consecrates
In this day your immortal glory.
Mother you are good, joy,
Protection, light and forgiveness.
Your exalted virtue going through
The mystery of remote ages
Expands in the warm notes
That beat in this song.

See the hymn in its original in Spanish: Himno a la Madre hondureña.
Download the hymn in mp3.

Check here the official Honduran current local time, which is the same for all cities.

La Tribuna is one of the main newspapers in Honduras. Published in Tegucigalpa, with more than 100,000 daily copies, is known for its bias in favor of the Liberal Party of Honduras (Honduran “Liberal Party” tends to be conservative). Its founder, Oscar A. Flores, was a known liberal politician, and his son —former President Carlos Roberto Flores— is one of its major shareholders, and one who oversees and write the editorials.

La Tribuna, a conservative-leaning newspaper, took side with those who adverse Manuel Zelaya Rosales in the political crisis that led to his ouster, crisis that threatened to destroy democracy in Honduras. However, in order to maintain a balance of information, La Tribuna also published the views of the followers of Zelaya, and published the international news that branded as “de facto government” the interim administration of Roberto Micheletti.

La Tribuna newspaper has traditionally been the favorite of the capital city its neighboring cities, so El Heraldo —its closest competitor— has had to work hard to win the preference of readers.

In the city of Danli, for example, La Tribuna has traditionally been the favorite, because it has published more content about this eastern part of the country, with the outstanding collaboration of the journalist Luis Alonso Gomez.

Having the backing of tradition, La Tribuna has been neglected in several respects. El Heraldo beats it on presentation and layout, as well as in investigative journalism and innovation. La Tribuna was the last major newspaper in Honduras to have a website. Its website has also been lagging behind with respect to El Heraldo.

But La Tribuna newspaper has its own strengths. With the collaboration of renowned columnists, like the well-known politician and former presidential candidate, the versatile Ramon Villeda Bermudez, son of the recalled President Ramon Villeda Morales. Also political analyst Juan Ramon Martinez has an influential column in this newspaper. The humorous column “Let me tell you …” (“Déjenme Decirles Que..” by Jorge Montenegro has many followers.

La Tribuna newspaper offers a channel of expression to his readers through the column “The People’s Tribune” (“La Tribuna del Pueblo”) and the inner section of “Popular Corner” (“Rincón Popular”).

The section of juicy gossip, known as “Pildoritas” (“Little Pills”) is very successful and has imitators in other newspapers.

On Saturdays there is a special section with interviews with various celebrities of Honduras known as “Day 7” (“Día 7”). This section includes the column of “The Log” (“La Bitácora”), in which an anonymous author makes a critique of the work of different Honduran media. The column “Idiomatic Peccadilloes” (“Pecadillos Idiomáticos”) makes a critique of language errors committed by the media, and occasionally sneaks a religious message. In “The Beauty of Day 7” (“La Belleza del Día 7”) us men can delight with the image of a sexy woman in bikini every week.

On the cover of La Tribuna newspaper, the Tribunito figure presents us with a funny daily phrase, making puns with current issues.

One of the benefits of La Tribuna is that important documents of general interest are published in their entirety in its physical publication, such as the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Agreement and the inauguration speech of President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

This list only includes alive persons who have had certain international repercussion:

Scientist: Salvador Moncada.

Tennis player: Izza Medina

Soccer Players: Carlos Pavon, David Suazo, Amado Guevara, Wilson Palacios, Maynor Figueroa, Henry Thomas.

Soccer Coach: Ramon Maradiaga, also known as “Primitivo Maradiaga”.

Radio Talk Host: Renan Almendarez Coello, alson known as “El Cucuy de la Mañana”.

TV Hosts: Neyda Sandoval, Satcha Pretto.

Sports Commentator: Salvador Nasralla.

Catholic Cardinal: Oscar Andres Rodriguez.

Singers: Angela Bendeck, Jireh Wilson, Moises Canelo, Guillermo Anderson, Renan Carias.

Evangelical Pastors: Guillermo Maldonado, Rene Peñalba, Evelio Reyes.

Presidents of Honduras: Roberto Suazo Cordova, Rafael Leonardo Callejas, Carlos Flores, Manuel Zelaya Rosales, Roberto Micheletti, Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

Writers:Julio Escoto, Eduardo Bähr, Roberto Sosa, Roberto Quezada.

Sculptor: Mario Zamora.

Painter: Ezequiel Padilla Ayestas.

Football Player: Steve Van Buren.

Entrepreneur: Maribel Lieberman.

There’s a new president in Honduras. His name: Porfirio Lobo Sosa, better known as Pepe Lobo.

After the ordeal of the political crisis, resulting from an alleged coup d’etat, Pepe Lobo will not be called “de facto president” (Will he?). Contrary to what enemies of Honduras bet, elections were held, and the transfer of command took place, although Manuel Zelaya was never restored, and never will be. Honduras is the little country that could, to the dismay of international leftism.

There are already countries that have recognized president Porfirio Lobo as legitimate; unlike Micheletti, who although was legitimate under the law of Honduras, was not recognized due to a campaign mounted by Hugo Chavez, and the understandable fears of the presidents of the world .

We have a new president, and nobody can claim he was not elected in free elections, the cleanest and most voted elections of Honduran history. The Honduran people want to live in peace and get out of that climate of tension and confrontation that has been forced upon Honduras for seven months. Now is the time to start again.

We are grateful for the courage of Roberto Micheletti, who along with his team were put to very strong international pressure, giving an example of dignity and patriotism that will leave its mark.

This new breath of patriotism makes us aspire to better things, to require politicians to comply with the law, to be more transparent and democratic, to avoid the ways of old politics. Now the people want to have more dialogue and less authoritarianism, they want things done by consensus and not by imposition of a sector.

But unfortunately, we see politians who have not learn the lessons of the “coup”. They continue their same old practices.

Manuel Zelaya was overthrown by flagrantly violating the Constitution and laws. The damage that Zelaya made to the country is immense. And this was not only a political issue, the state treasure was looted; and now a majority of Nacionalista legislators have decided to give amnesty to the offender, for the sake of a supposed national reconciliation. Now, those of us who ask for law enforcement, who say no to forgiving and forgetting this criminal, are branded as extremists. Forgiving those who have betrayed the homeland is to strengthen those who have hurt us.

There can be no reconciliation by decree. Do not give forgiveness when the offender does not admit any wrongdoing, because it only serves to strengthen him. It is not fair, that while there are people in prison for minor crimes, Zelaya, who plundered the public treasure, is considered a “guest of honor” in other countries.

The National Party continues with the same old policy of doing things without consulting the people. After so much talk about the need for reconciliation, in the first working day in Congress they used their mechanical majority of deputies, their blue bulldozer, to impose their views.

And Pepe Lobo, who spoke of dialogue so much, made beginner mistakes in his negotiation with President Leonel Fernández in Dominican Republic. He gave everything in exchange for nothing. And apparently, no one could advise him, or he did not want to get advice. The worst thing is his commitment to do something of dubious legality, which can bring him problems since day one. In his quest to earn points with the “international community” he misses the mark with the national community, which is demanding a better conduct from politicians.

When Zelaya tried to leave the Brazilian Embassy to Mexico, Micheletti government rightly refused to grant him a safe conduct, because the conditions required by international law and Honduran law were not met. But, surprise, Pepe Lobo appeared with a signed agreement to provide a safe passage to Zelaya and his “intimate circle” without requiring compliance with any requirement.

We must recognize that if it were not for the heroic action of expelling Zelaya and the international pressure beared, no elections would have been held in Honduras. The plan of Zelaya to hold on to power was very clear. So we must be grateful to Roberto Micheletti. But Pepe Lobo did not have the decency to even mention him in his inaugural speech. But this is understandable, given the aversion felt by many rulers against Micheletti, it’s easy to understand that Pepe Lobo didn’t want to be associated with him.

However, he shouldn’t have gone so far as to thank the enemies of Honduras in his inaugural speech. He only failed to give thanks to Hugo Chavez.

Pepe Lobo is giving away the government in the hands of the enemies of Honduras. Cesar Ham’s appointment as minister of INA and Alejandro Ventura in Education is a blunder. Cesar Ham said he will administer INA according to the guidelines given by his own party, UD Party, rather than committing to follow the policy of Pepe Lobo. And to put Alejandro Ventura, a union leader, to lead the Department of Education is like putting the fox to guard the henhouse.

Once I thought that Pepe Lobo was a very skillful politician who made use of political Machiavellianism, but now I see I was wrong. Pepe Lobo does not have a master plan or grand strategy. Pepe is papo.

I hope I’m wrong, for the good of Honduras, but things are looking bad from day one.

Us men, in our desire to demonstrate an intelligent machismo, often suffer disappointments, as it happened to a good friend of ours:

At El Arenal there is a center that Danlidenses know as “El Lugar Tranquilo” (The Quiet Place) where you can eat grilled meat, cassava rind, soft drinks and other goodies.

There is also a small zoo where you can visit monkeys, flamingoes, coatis, rabbits and many other birds.

In the place rooms are rented to couples who request them.

Once, our macho friend brought a female friend to El Lugar Tranquilo, rented a room, and both surrendered to the desires and rejoicing.

A monkey managed to escape from captivity and began walking across the ceiling of the room where the couple was located.

They were so absorbed in their caresses, that did not realize the monkey was wrenching up the room; and seeing the couple, it aroused in the animal his sexual appetites, and neither short nor lazy, he fell upon our friends, with such accuracy that he fell on the man’s bare back, put his tail between the man’s legs and with his arms gripped his neck.

Our macho friend, feeling that lump on his body, feeling surprised got up, and looking at the monkey he thought it was the devil, and started screaming, going out naked with the lady, to the surprise of the clientele of the place.

Had it not been for the business owner who came out and grabbed the monkey, our friend were still running. Thus concluded the biggest perra of Danli.

1. The term “Banana Republic” was first applied to Honduras by the American writer O. Henry, for the influence the U.S. banana companies had at some time.
2. The Honduras official language is Spanish.
3. Christopher Columbus is said to have said after leaving behind a storm: “Thank God we’ve left these Depths.” And he called Depths (Honduras) the area, and Thank God (Gracias a Dios) the Cape he left.
4. As “Soccer War” is known the armed conflict that occurred as a result of a military aggression of El Salvador against Honduras after a soccer match between the two countries in 1969. The real reason of the aggression was to contain the Salvadoran population pressure.
5. Hondurans are also called “Catrachos” because of general Florence Xatruch, who fought in Nicaragua against the American filibuster William Walker. “Catrachos” is a corruption of the name Xatruch. “Here come the Xatruches” they said in the beginning; within a time they said: “Here come the Catrachos”.
6. The capital of Honduras is composed of two cities: Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela.
7. The Honduran currency is the lempira, and it is named after an Indian chief that fought to death against the Spanish conquerors. It is assumed that a lempira bill has an image representing the face of the legendary chief Lempira, but instead contains the image of an American Red Indian.
8. Honduras is located in the waist or isthmus that links North America with South America, and it was the result of the clash of these two landmasses. If not for the existence of the Central American isthmus, in which Honduras is in the middle, sea currents would have taken other directions, the weather had been different in Africa, and humans would not have evolved as they did.
9. The military base of Soto Cano, known as Palmerola, is of strategic importance to the United States.
10. For its strategic geographical position, Honduras is a necessary step for the drug that comes from South America.
11. Trujillo is believed to be the place where the first Mass was celebrated in the Americas.
12. Platano Forest was nominated as one of the new seven new wonders of the world.
13. There are no active volcanoes in Honduras, and there is only one natural lake: Lake Yojoa.
14. Comayagua has one of the oldest clocks in the world.
15. In Yoro there is the phenomenon of fish rain (lluvia de peces). Literally, fish fall from the sky.
16. Most of the population is Catholic, and the Virgin of Suyapa —represented by a tiny statuette— is considered the patron saint of Honduras. There is also a significant growth of evangelical sects, which are competing for the faithful with the Catholic Church.
17. Contrary to what happens on mainland, Bay Islands is predominantly Protestant, because of the early English influence.
18. With the amount of coral reefs that are in the Bay Islands, Honduras is the second country in the world with more coral reef after Australia.
19. In addition to receiving gifts at Christmas, children are celebrated and receive gifts on 10 September, day of the Honduran Child.
20. The Maya were the pre-colombian culture most advanced in the present territory of Honduras, but when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, this magnificent culture had already disappeared. The Mayan people did not disappeared, but returned to lower levels of development. It is unknown if their disappearence was by natural causes or by the collapse of its social organization. The Copan Ruins are the most important Mayan ruins in Honduras.
21. Most Hondurans are mestizos.
22. Ethnic groups in Honduras mentioned in the textbooks are the Lenca, Tolupanes, Pech, Tawahka, Chorti, Miskito and Garifuna. Also important in Honduras are Arabs, Jewish and Chinese.
23. The most important national hero of Honduras is Francisco Morazán, who fought for the unity of Central America and died executed for his ideals in Costa Rica.
24. September 15th is celebrated as Independence Day in Honduras, which coincides with that of the other countries in Central America.
25. The national flower of Honduras is the Rhyncholaelia digbyana (formerly known as Brassavola digbyana) which replaced the rose in 1969.
26. The national mammal is the white-tailed deer, the national bird is the scarlet macaw.
27. The Honduran flag consists of three horizontal stripes: the upper and lower stripes are blue, and the center stripe is white. In the central stripe there are five blue stars representing the five republics of Central American Union, and the central star represents Honduras.
28. The National Anthem of Honduras consists of a choir and seven stanzas, but usually only the chorus and the last stanza are singed in public events.
29. Soccer is the favorite sport, the passion of multitudes.
30. The main export products are bananas, coffee and wood.
31. Remittances represent about a quarter of GDP, and about three quarters of exports.
32. The population below the poverty line was 50.7% in 2004.
33. The population is around 7.8 million inhabitants.
34. The area of Honduras is 112.090 square kilometers.

Newspapers in English
Honduras this Week
Honduras News

The Four Main National Newspapers:
La Tribuna
El Heraldo
La Prensa
El Tiempo

Tegucigalpa Newspapers:
La Tribuna
El Heraldo

San Pedro Sula Newspapers:
La Prensa
El Tiempo

Digital Newspapers:
Hondudiario
El Proceso Digital
ConexiHon.com
Revistazo.com
Honduras News

Zelayista Newspapers:
El Libertador
El Patriota
ConexiHon.com
Revistazo.com

Business Magazines
Hablemos Claro Financiera

Hablemos Claro
Hablemos Claro

Rich and Famous Magazine
Cromos
Estilo

Honduran Community in America Newspaper:
La Tribuna USA

Sports Newspapers
Diez
As deportiva
La Tribuna Deportiva

La Tribuna’s Supplements
Vívela
Extra

Only online newspapers and magazines are included.

“Was it a coup or not?”. This is a question I ask myself many times, especially since Zelaya’s supporters never get tire of branding us as “coupsters” every time they have the chance, to those of us who support the outcome of 28 June, when president Zelaya was ousted and expelled from Honduras.

I must admit that the legality of what happened is uncertain. It would have been better to proceed with a legal process against Manuel Zelaya without any apparent irregularity, but my reaction since Zelaya was ousted was a warm endorsement.

The political crisis did not begin, as many say, on June 28, but with a growing confrontational attitude of President Zelaya which threatened to reach intolerable levels.

It seems clear that the real reasons behind the removal of Zelaya were not legal technicalities or the corruption of his government, not even his violation of the Constitution (in previous governments there was also corruption and violations of the Constitution). Zelaya was expelled for creating the threat of a Chavista regime which would destroy the existing constitutional order replacing it with a system of concentration of powers in the figure of a caudillo, and the possibility of permanent re-election of the caudillo by way of electoral fraud (The caudillo being Zelaya himself).

The intended use of the referendum only served to legitimize the dictatorial ambitions.

The strategy followed to halt this authoritarian project was to invoke respect for the law. However, the illegal procedure that was used to oust Zelaya clouded that claim of respect for the law. It was denounced the contradiction of defending the law through the violation of it.

But one can argue that a rational application of the law needs to use a hierarchy of legal and ethical principles, and it is sometimes necessary to choose between a greater evil and a lesser evil.

The expulsion of Zelaya was a crime, but it was through that crime that the current legal order was saved. This would not be the case had Zelaya fulfilled his intention to convene a Constituent Assembly, and to dissolve the Congress and the Supreme Court. This is a case analogous to the principle of self-defense in criminal law. In expelling Zelaya the system acted in self defense for its own self-preservation.

The ideal thing would have been to judge Zelaya within Honduran territory, but with him imprisoned there was the danger of more violence and deaths.

A coup without breaking the constitutional order

When a coup d’Etat is perpetrated the constitutional order is lost, the legislature and judiciary branches are dissolved to make way for a government of force.

This has not happened in Honduras at the moment. Here the constitutional order with its three branches structure remains intact.

All we have is a controversy over the legitimacy of the current holder of the executive branch.

However, we hear over and over the claim that in Honduras the constitutional order was broken by a coup d’Etat. This falsehood, which is often being promoted in a malicious way, is somewhat an understandable misunderstanding because there is no historical precedent for the presidential succession that occurred in Honduras. This explains the misuse of the concept of coup d’Etat, which was used in the context of the violent takeover of power by the military in Latin America.

Article 239

Article 239 of the Constitution forbids the president’s reelection, and states that any public official attempting to reform this Article ceases to hold office immediately. Based on that article it is said that Zelaya was no longer president when he was expelled from the country, so that the presidential succession that took place was perfectly legal, despite the fact that the removal of Zelaya was illegal.

The problem with this interpretation is that Zelaya was careful to not openly express his intention to allow re-election in the new Constitution.

The strongest public statement that Zelaya made to that effect was one in which he mentioned that other State officials could exercise their functions for various terms, and that the issue of presidential re-election will be the subject of the upcoming Constituent Assembly.

The intention of allowing presidential reelection was clear, although the lack of an explicit statement of this purpose produces doubts in the use of Article 239 to justify his ouster.

If Article 239 is not applicable, this suggests that Zelaya is still the constitutional President of Honduras, despite his attempts to destroy the present legal order, and that Micheletti is an usurper of the presidential functions.

However, there is an alternative interpretation that says that at the time the arrest warrant against Zelaya was given there was a power vacuum that needed to be filled by a presidential succession.

Both theories are questionable and in order to clarify whether the replacement in office was legal or not, it is necessary to solve it through a trial. Ideally, Zelaya would come to Honduras to face justice over the allegations made against him. This would clarify definitively whether the current President in office is legitimate or not.

The problem is that Zelaya seems unwilling to submit to the law, but remains committed to disown it. If Zelaya insists on ignoring the Honduran legal institutions he looses the right to hold the presidential chair, and has committed perjury, because in order to take up his duties he swore to uphold and enforce the Constitution and the law. Presidential powers are legitimate only within the constitutional framework, and by virtue of having undertaken to comply with that order. When he rebels against that framework he has no right to remain president.

Anyway, whether the presidential substitution occurred on June 28 was legally justified or not, is a fait accompli and the return to power of Zelaya is not politically feasible, despite international pressure to reinstate him. The next presidential elections we will give a new president-elect free of suspicion about his legitimacy, as the electoral process is developing properly, and this despite threats from other countries to ignore the outcome of the elections.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

The Interior and Justice Secretary, Oscar Raul Matute, issued a statement this Thursday, minutes after being reported the suspension of U.S. aid to Honduras.

In statements to Radio HRN, Matute relies on a U.S. government reaction “when they read these concepts.” He expressed confidence that “the American people is a noble people” and that “the U.S. government will consider these concepts (…)” which give elements of judgment that “they do not know (and that) if they are brought to them they will have a completely clear understanding of what is our truth.”

The message, addressed “with approval of the Constitutional President of the Republic of Honduras, Roberto Micheletti” to the American people and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in particular, and expressing the government’s response through the Ministry of Interior and Justice, reads as follows:

“We are a peaceful people with deep Christian values and we have been forged in the heroic struggle with the hoe and rifle, and forged our character in one of the most ardent geographies of the Americas. The heroic struggle of our people to preserve their national, spiritual and moral values has led us to the current political situation and to strengthen our fight to increase our ideals and achieving our goals.

We invoke the lapidary and historical concepts that inform the principles to be observed by all nations of universal singular idiomatic expression and we bring to our minds those concepts expressed by the remembered, loved and respected U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy and making ours his words we also say that in the long history of the world only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in the moments of its greatest danger.

We do not shrink from this responsibility, we welcome it, none of us would exchange place with anyone from another generation. The energy, faith, and devotion we have brought will illuminate our country and those whom we serve.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of the liberties of our people and of democracy.

And along with the recalled President Kennedy we also say that our conscience is clear, and to keep our promise to our people is our only sure reward with history as the final judge of our deeds; we go forward for the land we love and we are asking God’s blessing.

Madam Secretary of State: in your hands is to make decisions that could affect our condition of being Hondurans, therefore we respectfully ask you to take those decisions which would take the noble American people if they were in the political context in which our people are.

I profess to the noble American people and to the Secretary and lawyer Hillary Clinton assurances of my highest and distinguished consideration.

Taken from El Heraldo.