Honduras vice-minister Robelo among 14 plane crash dead

14 February 2011 Last updated at 14:32 ET

Honduras vice-minister Robelo among 14 plane crash dead

A deputy minister, Rodolfo Robelo, is among 14 people reported dead in a plane crash in Honduras.

The small commercial plane was on a routine scheduled flight from the coastal city of San Pedro Sula to the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Also among those killed was former finance minister Carlos Chain and a trade union leader, Israel Salinas Jorge Castellanos.

An ambulance and helicopters have been dispatched to the site of the crash.

But it is said to be a heavily wooded area which may be difficult to reach.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12458867?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

It is ranked as the No. 2 most dangerous airports, after one in Tibet. Mel Zelaya had proposed moving it to a safer landing/takeoff site.




Three, possible four U.S. citizens reported among the dead.

James Howard ciudadano estadounidense

Tom Flayer ciudadano estadounidense

Flin Toncruch ciudadano estadounidense

Lobo's Foreign Minister Mario Canahuati and Agricultural Minister Cesar Ham (yes, that Cesar Ham) had been scheduled to be on the flight but they said they were "late arriving" at the airport and took another flight.

short video of approach to Tocantin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-SQBgea0oA&feature=related

of one of the victims:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4e2NEGbjH0

was the man negotiating a minimum-wage raise between workers' organizations and lobito's government. In the past, every December, the minimum wage was raised to offset inflation somewhat, but I think it has not happened since lobito took over.

I will have to search to see whether it was at the funeral of this man where lobito showed up. It looks like it in the video because the crowd is so hostile.

The chant "urge Mel, urge Mel, urge Mel" is the chant pro-Zelaya supporters use. ("urge" in spanish is pronounced "urr heh" and means "have an urgent need for."

lobito looked nervous and his bodyguards keep him surrouned, before he leaves.

In addition to being called "asesino," one man in the crowd yells out "hijo de puta."

It was not a good day for lobito.

I was trying up keep up with all the protests in the ME this morning and only had time to note the video. Lobo looked unhappy and even scared.

Tragic Death of a Trade Union Leader from Honduras
02/15/2011

Tegucigalpa. Israel Salinas, General Secretary of the CUTH (Confederación Unitaria de Trabajadores de Honduras) tragically died in an airplane accident in the capital city of Honduras, yesterday morning.

Mr. Salinas was traveling from San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa when the Central American Airways airplane crashed near Toncontín international airport with 20 passengers on board.

Mr. Salinas was renowned in his country for his defense of the working class labour and human rights; for his impeccable performance as the leader of CUTH and Frente Nacional de Lucha during the military coup and for his struggle for the democratization of Honduras. In the international arena, Mr. Salinas participated in the confederation called Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, TUCA/ITUC.

UNI Americas sends its warmest condolences to workers in Honduras on this terrible loss and extends them to the family and friends of this notable trade union leader who developed strong bonds of friendship and cooperation with UNI during the time he worked in the region.

http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/iportal.nsf/pages/homeEn?OpenDocument&exURL=http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/UNINews.nsf/vwLkpById/18EB76D771F6E0B9C12578380077A892?Opendocument

Thanks for the information on their airport. Had no idea it was so difficult. Maybe that's another reason Zelaya wanted to return the Soto Cano airport to civilian use, to allow safer conditions for more travellers.

It happened two days ago, Feb. 16, at the funeral wake for Israel Salinas at the municipal workers syndicate's headquarters in San Pedro Sula.

It was an incredibly stupid move by lobito -- like walking into a cage of hungry lions. He was lucky he got out unscathed.

Notice someone in the crowd unfurls a red and black flag with "FNRP" on it. That says it all, he walked into a FRENTE NACIONAL de RESISTANCIA POPULAR bastion. Also note that Salinas' widow appears to wave him off. He did not spend more that a few seconds with her.

Among the shouts, "asesino, golpista, a lady who yells "viva la resistance," a man who yells what sounds like "imperialism is dead," and as lobito is being hustled out, someone yells "hijo the puta," which is kin to SOB in English, but worse in Spanish -- "Son of a whore."


Here is the video again that EF put up earlier (which was a good find, tks EF.
---------------------------------

El pueblo que acompañaba a Israel Salinas en su velatorio repudió la presencia de Lobo Sosa. Fue abucheado por la multitud que se encontraba en ese momento en la sede del sindicado municipal de S.P.S.

"Fuera", "golpista" y "asesino", le gritaron a Lobo cuando el mandatario llegó hasta la sede del Sindicato de la Municipalidad de San Pedro Sula (norte), donde era velado Salinas.

Ver Video:

http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/video-honduras-

http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/video-honduras-pepe-lobo-abucheado-repudiado

That's Mark Weisbrot and Dean Baker.

From your post:

Maybe that's another reason Zelaya wanted to return the Soto Cano airport to civilian use, to allow safer conditions for more travellers.

-----------------------------------


Zelaya in 2008 wanted international flights to land at Soto Cano which is much safer. He was pressured by the eventual golpista businessmen to keep it at Toncantin. Then came the golpe in June, 2009.

And of course Soto Cano is a military base for U.S. forces in the region.

-------------------------
Wiki snip:

On May 30, 2008, The tragedy of TACA Flight 390 prompted the announcement by then Honduran President Manuel Zelaya that all large aircraft operations would move to the Soto Cano Air Base. This move would effectively move all international traffic from Toncontín, limiting its use to only domestic flights and small aircraft.<5>

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) completed a review of Toncontín and made safety recommendations regarding the airport.<6> On June 25, 2008, President Zelaya reiterated his position of severely restricting international traffic to and from Toncontín and announced his intention to form a commission that would oversee implementing the safety recommendations of the ICAO report.<7>

On July 7, 2008, President Zelaya announced the reopening of Toncontín airport at a news conference following a three-hour meeting with businessmen, who had demanded commercial flights resume at Toncontín due to Soto Cano Air Base being too far from Tegucigalpa. Zelaya reiterated that all commercial flights would eventually use the new airport at Soto Cano Air Base from 2009. This however, was canceled after Zelaya was removed from office on June 28, 2009 in the 2009 Honduran coup d'état.<8> International flights continue to operate to Toncontín.

What a shame.

Zelaya's plan sounds like the only sensible one altogether, the necessary, human solution to a very bad problem. What a shame the U.S. felt maintaining its presence at Soto Cano was far more important, rabs. It's so wrong to have shelved that intelligent, sane, perfect idea.

Thanks for the information.

Good grief!
http://www.summitpost.org.nyud.net:8090/images/large/432936.jpg

Not an inch of room for error.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJoXMcehrYo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-SQBgea0oA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3OyhU8rftk

As the comment says "le metio hasta los caites!"

Feet to the floor!

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