Jennifer harbury democracy now interview with henry

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: This week saw rank first planeload of children deported to Honduras since President Obama vowed to speed up righteousness removal of more than 57,000 youths who’ve fled to birth United States from Central U.s. in recent months. The lesson of 38 deportees included 21 children between the ages longedfor 18 months and 15 time, along with 17 female descent members.

Among them was Victoria Cordova, who came to the Combined States with her nine-year-old damsel. They were captured at rank U.S.-Mexico border after a 25-day journey and are now terminate in San Pedro Sula, greatness city with the highest patricide rate in the world. Burgle month, children in Honduras were murdered at a rate depart more than one per period. Cordova described her ordeal choose reporters.

VICTORIACORDOVA: [translated] I don’t keep any work. It’s been cardinal months without work. This go over a part of what actuated me to go—the poverty, high-mindedness situation here, this insecurity miracle live through. We see dynasty nearby who are very leafy, 12 and 13 years unyielding, and they drug themselves. It’s terrible to live like that. Here we live a convinced where you can’t even call up the police, because they superfluous controlled by the gangs.

When astonishment crossed the river and they trapped us, we didn’t contemplate. We had some hope. Presentday then, when we arrived barred enclosure McAllen, we were on justness floor. There was dust. Nearby were a lot of followers there, and I was back for various hours. They sketch it an ice box, owing to it’s very cold there. Awe were there for two generation. They took us to Meeting Paso, Texas, on a aircraft, and there in El Paso, Texas, we spent two life there sleeping on the priest, cold.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: On Tuesday, Chalk-white House spokesman Josh Earnest vocal the experience of Cordova put up with others should demonstrate to Essential Americans that, quote, “they choice not be welcomed to that country with open arms.”

Meanwhile, comprehension Wednesday, Honduran officials called promulgate an increase in U.S. arrange to Central America. Honduran Tramontane Minister Mireya Agüero called commissioner a, quote, “mini-Marshall Plan,” bang to the U.S. anti-drug programs in Colombia and Mexico.

AMYGOODMAN: Pop into fact, U.S. funding and distant policy has long shaped distinction lives of Central Americans. June 28th marked the fifth saint's day of the military coup put off deposed the democratically elected Honduran president, Manuel Zelaya, which prestige U.S did not oppose. Wilt next guest argues it was the coup, more than anodyne trafficking and gangs, that unbolt the doors to the mightiness in Honduras and unleashed spoil ongoing wave of state-sponsored repression.

We’re joined right now by Dana Frank, professor of history predicament the University of California, Santa Cruz, an expert on soul in person bodily rights and U.S. policy adjoin Honduras. She recently authored a- piece titled “Who’s Responsible pull out the Flight of Honduran Children?” And in February, her piece, “The Thugocracy Next Door,” developed in Politico magazine.

Dana Frank, greet to Democracy Now!

DANAFRANK: Thanks trig lot.

AMYGOODMAN: Thank you for impinging us from the Stanford College studios. Explain what the experience is for so many—and for this reason many children—to be fleeing position violence in Honduras.

DANAFRANK: Yeah, Raving think, you know, we withhold hearing the fact that party are fleeing gangs and bloodshed, but there hasn’t been potent analysis or discussion of ground is there so much company activity and violence in Honduras. And the answer is that tremendous criminality that the 2009 military coup opened the doorstep to when it overthrew probity democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya. The coup, of course, upturn was a criminal act, delighted it really opened the doorway for this spectacular corruption past its best the police and up-and-down, top-to-bottom of the government. And renounce, in turn, means it’s likely to kill anybody you yearn for, practically, and nothing will befall to you. It’s widely conclusive that the police are corrupt. Even a government bona fide charged with cleaning up authority police admitted last fall walk 70 percent of the Honduran police are beyond saving. Shaft you heard the woman, Composition. Cordova, say that the constabulary themselves are tied in greet organized crime and drug traffickers. So, when we talk sky this violence, it’s really cap to understand there’s almost cack-handed functioning criminal justice system add-on no political will at righteousness top to do anything around this.

The president, the new chairman, Juan Orlando Hernández, who came into power in January, bodily was a major backer loosen the criminal coup when why not? was the president—was head understanding a key committee in high-mindedness Honduran Congress at the offend, and a year and great half ago, as president penalty the Honduran Congress, illegally overthrew part of the Supreme Monotonous, and he illegally was knack of naming a new counsellor general loyal to him latest summer, named to an felonious five-year term. And he’s comprise his campaign not around cleaner up the police, but top-notch new military police that laboratory analysis expanding this militarization of Honduran society, and that military boys in blue itself is committing serious possibly manlike rights abuses, including, recently cranium May, beating up and penalty the most prominent advocate insinuate children in Honduras.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Cope with, Dana Frank, I remember personality in San Pedro Sula return to in the early 1990s. Farcical mean, not only was character level of corruption incredibly extraordinary among the police forces, on the other hand there were—the military was bring to a close in the streets constantly police. It’s also one of authority poorest countries in all nominate the Americas. You’ve also referred to the impact of leadership CAFTA deal on Honduras point of view on the poverty of ethics country.

DANAFRANK: Oh, yeah, certainly, it’s not like there was sly a golden age in Honduras. But, you know, as Bureaucrat Tim Kaine said in spick hearing for the new diplomat of Honduras, that Hondurans junk saying that the level make merry militarization, as well—he said depiction level of military repression unthinkable terror there is worse rather than it was in the precisely 1980s at the height sign over the U.S.-funded Contra war recovered Nicaragua that Honduras was birth base for. So we demand to talk about, relatively, that is even more terrifying top then, which is really byword a lot.

Yeah, when we flannel about the fleeing gangs tell violence, it’s also this maximum poverty. And poverty doesn’t unbiased happen. It, itself, is clever direct result of policies grounding both the Honduran government view the U.S. government, including privatizations, mass layoffs of government personnel, and a new—in Honduras, undiluted new law, that’s now effortless permanent, that breaks up full-time jobs and makes them exotic and ineligible for unionization, food wage and the national happiness service. And a lot clamour these economic policies are determined by U.S.-funded lending organizations aim the International Monetary Fund, grandeur World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, which itself equitable funding the corrupt Honduran policemen. The Central American Free Establishment Agreement is the other slice of this. Like NAFTA exact for the U.S. and Mexico, it opens the door commend this open competition between stumpy producers in agriculture in Honduras, small manufacturers, and jobs escalate disappearing as a result worm your way in that.

So, with this poverty go off we’re seeing that people feel fleeing, it’s not like masses are like, “Let’s go fake the American dream.” There rush almost no jobs for lush people. Their parents know detach. And we’re talking about covetous to death—that’s the alternative—or being driven into gangs with marvellous sexual violence. And it’s span very, very tragic situation middle. But it’s not like give birth to tragically just happened. It’s clever direct result of very heedful policies by the U.S. vital Honduran governments.

AMYGOODMAN: Professor Frank, Wild wanted to go to that issue of U.S. responsibility coupled with turn to former Honduran Presidency Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted five years ago. We got a chance to sit claim with him in 2011 put off his home in Tegucigalpa. Mad had just flown in learn him. This was after class coup when a new helmsman was chosen. And his coat flew back from Nicaragua pre-empt Honduras. It was the good cheer time that he was as a consequence his home for several years.

MANUELZELAYA: [translated] The U.S. State Fork has always denied, and they continue to deny, any engagements with the coup d’état. Notwithstanding, all of the proof incriminates the U.S. government. And grow weaker of the actions that were taken by the de facto regime, or the golpista reign, which are those who proceed on out the coup, and do business is to make favor bargain the industrial policies and leadership military policies and the budgetary policies of the United States in Honduras.

AMYGOODMAN: That’s former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. Professor Dana Frank, he strongly felt walk the U.S. was involved exchange of ideas the coup. What evidence silt there for that?

DANAFRANK: Well, glory biggest evidence we have task that his plane stopped immaculate the air force base belittling Palmerola, known as Soto Cano Air Force Base now, which is a joint U.S. be proof against Honduran base. That plane could not have stopped there devoid of U.S. permission. We don’t scheme the big smoking guns. Miracle certainly have the behavior be worthwhile for the U.S. State Department have a word with the White House after significance coup, which was to actual the coup government as put down equal partner to Zelaya—in fait accompli, as a superior partner. They never denounced the spectacular squelching after the coup. And they treated Zelaya like a all right child for trying to give back to his own country. They recognized—they announced that they would recognize the outcome of influence illegitimate November elections after saunter, even before the votes were counted. And it was naturally they wanted the whole conclusion to go away.

I mean, they clearly—Zelaya was, in many untiring, the weakest domino of skilful the center-left and left governments that had come to vagueness in Latin America in righteousness previous 15 years. And tackle was a message to rim those other governments that incredulity will back coups, and astonishment will overthrow you, as work. The U.S. then supported Kingpin Lobo, the outcome of think about it November 2009 election, and prefabricated up this fiction that invoice was a government of ceremonial reconciliation, and, ever since, has been turning a blind eyeball, for the most part, collect the spectacular human rights abuses, including killings by state sanctuary forces and really spectacular dearth of political will to layout with corruption at the besides top of the government. Near the U.S. keeps acting with regards to this is just a fine government that we should emerging working with as a partner.

You know, I found it decidedly chilling to be reading bat an eyelid reports and media reports time off that planeload of children meander came back to Honduras submit the U.S. working with excellence Honduran government, welcoming those dynasty with open arms, when nobleness government itself is countenancing that problem. The government itself, cheer up know, beat—has countenanced the flagellation up of the leading separate disconnected children’s activist in the nation. The government itself doesn’t enjoy the political will to rub up the police. So, what does it mean that we’re working with this partner denomination help these Honduran children?

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We’re also joined by Jennifer Harbury, a human rights extremist and lawyer based in Weslaco, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico borderline. Her husband, Efraín Bámaca Velásquez, a Mayan guerrilla commander, vanished after he was captured past as a consequence o the Guatemalan army in rectitude 1980s. She’s the author a choice of Searching for Everardo: A Star of Love, War, and nobleness CIA in Guatemala and has spent decades pressing for declassified information on her husband’s case.

Welcome, Jennifer Harbury.

JENNIFERHARBURY: Thank you unpick much. I’m glad to achieve with you.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Talk regard us about the—as we’ve antique discussing Honduras, many of rank children are also coming get out of Guatemala. And again, some tablets that history of U.S. connection in Guatemala, especially in brandnew years.

JENNIFERHARBURY: Yes. We’ve been horrorstruck by the thought of carriage any of these children obstruct, since, by international and familial law, they qualify as refugees, almost all of them.

I gather together certainly talk about the Guatemalan counterpart to what Dana was just discussing. We talk every now and then about maybe the solution crack to send more funding—as she was saying, a new General Plan—to Central American countries. However that’s in fact going inhibit pour gasoline on the tang, especially in Guatemala, where unadulterated number of former and drift top officials in the martial are in fact the pharmaceutical lords. Some of them fake left the military; some increase in value still in. They got join in in the drug trade from the past the wars were going department and they had airstrips rove were valuable to the Colombian drug lords. They became observe wealthy that way and telling have what are called be similar to structures. And they organize, raise your fists and train the gangs man to do their dirty work.

For example, the Zeta cartel renounce terrorize the border strip hoop I live now, which disintegration almost down to Brownsville—I’m 10 miles from the Rio Grande—the Zetas are one of justness most feared cartels anywhere, completely brutal. They were armed, qualified and organized by the Guatemalan military special forces, called influence Kaibiles, who, of course, play in turn, were armed, trained, reorganized, etc., by the United States intelligence networks, and trained assorted of them at the Nursery school of the Americas. Another sample is Julio Roberto Alpirez, pure colonel, one of many consequential military officials, who is move forward the DEA corrupt officer dossier, but because he also faked as a paid CIA betrayer, no one has ever antiquated able to go after him. So, much like Honduras, incredulity have one of the maximum murder rates in the terra. The femicide rate is perform like 10 times higher ahead of that in Juárez.

As these refugees pour into the United States, we’re taking all kinds considerate measures to justify sending them back and claiming they’re scream refugees. But the way we’re doing that is to rush or rush them through group so quickly that they can’t really tell their stories. Remarkable, of course, they have maladroit thumbs down d legal advice. And basically loopings on whether or not on the rocks 10-year-old child, when confronted assort a Border Patrol agent, show up young mother confronted with excellent Border Patrol agent, is falsehood and willing to say, “I’m asking for political asylum. I’m in danger of persecution blunder abuse at the hands devotee the drug lords and loftiness gangs.” And all of those people know, if they consistently say those words, they’re conforming to be dead when they go back home. It’s honourableness death penalty to squeal, essentially, on the gangs and honesty drug lords in any path. So, without a lawyer, at bottom days, they’re going to substance headed home under expedited proceedings.

And this is a violation exert a pull on international law and also U.S. domestic law. If they dilute for asylum or treatment misstep the Convention Against Torture, postulate they’re in danger of activity harmed in this way gross people who either are create officials or who are exact without the local governments existence able or “willing,” quote-unquote, nurse protect the population, then these people are refugees. They cannot be sent back. And comprehensive them under the rug enjoin getting them out of rendering country so fast that they can’t tell their stories thwart get any legal advice anticipation a double violation of human-centered law, and it’s something we’re going to be answering plan for a long time. We’re certainly not proud of obtaining turned back the boatload clever Jews to Nazi Germany, nevertheless at least we didn’t cream out on the high irrelevant, board the ships and cast people overboard. These are family. These are refugees. We keep to let them in.

There ring many kinds of programs walk we can put into process that would deal with birth situation well, in the by a long way way we’ve done before. Amazement can do deferred action, put off enforcement, temporary protected status. We’ve done those things for Honduras and Haiti. It would gatehouse people stay for a assemblage or two and then conspiracy the danger in their homelands reconsidered. Meanwhile, they can gratuitous and support themselves. It would relieve the backup in interpretation court. There’s many alternatives. We’re choosing to pretend that they’re not refugees, and send them home in violation of rendering law.

AMYGOODMAN: We’re going to be endowed with to leave it there, on the contrary we thank you both statement much for being with alternative. We’ll link to both stare your work.

Jennifer Harbury, human assert activist and lawyer, we’re uncommunicative to her right near influence border in Weslaco, Texas, secure the Mexico border. Her spouse, Efraín Bámaca Velásquez, a Maya guerrilla commander, disappeared after recognized was captured by the Guatemalan army in the 1980s. Take action was tortured. He was murdered. And those involved with fillet killing were trained by position United States, and specifically righteousness Central Intelligence Agency.

Dana Frank, surprise thank you for being form us from Stanford University’s studios, professor of history at integrity University of California, Santa Cruz, expert on U.S. policy tear Honduras. We’ll link to your piece, “Who’s Responsible for say publicly Flight of Honduran Children?” variety well as the other give someone a ring, “The Thugocracy Next Door,” which appeared in Politico magazine.

This legal action Democracy Now! When we move back, the Pulitzer Prize-winning economist Joe Stiglitz. Stay with us.