Lanny Davis's propaganda machine is in full swing today, with Lobo's visit to DC. Having ghostwritten him a piece in the Wall Street Journal ("The Threats to Latin American Democracy: Authoritarianism, international terrorism and the drug trade retard regional progress"), Lobo's PR agents also saw to it that largely uncritical—even glowing—articles would be published in other corporate media, like Bloomberg ("Obama Lauds Progress of Honduras on Democratic Governance") and Reuters ("Obama hails return of Honduras to democratic fold"). The absurdist propaganda that these and other pieces from today represent would be comical, if it weren't for the ongoing slaughter they mask in the Aguán. The following is my translation of an article by journalist Giorgio Trucchi, also from today:

Honduras
More bloodshed in the Bajo Aguán
Five deadly attacks against campesino organizations in less than a week.

By Giorgio Trucchi - LINyM

At 10:30 in the morning this Wednesday (10/5), two leaders of the La Aurora settlement, members of the Unified Campesino Movement of the Aguán (MUCA), Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla and Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz, were shot by unknown parties at the San Isidro, Sinaloa farm in the Bajo Aguán.

According to a preliminary analysis of the actions, the shots fired at the two leaders of MUCA, who are currently hospitalized in serious condition, came from the African Palm plantations of the San Isidro farm, property of landholder and palm producer Miguel Facussé Barjum.

The news arrived just as, in Tegucigalpa, the United Nations special envoy for freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, spoke of the constant violation of freedom of expression and of impunity in Honduras, in a forum organized by national and international human rights organizations.

"It is unfortunate that this is happening in the Aguán, at this very moment while we are carrying out an activity that has so much to do with freedom of expression, respect for human rights and for life," said Jonny Rivas, leader of MUCA.

Rivas explained that Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla was shot with three bullets, one of which entered his mouth and exited through his ear. Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz was shot twice in the groin. "They were driving by the San Isidro farm, which is under permanent vigilance by Miguel Facussé's security guards, who shot from there at the vehicle. There is no doubt which side of the highway they were attacked from; it was from the plantation. Pedro Matamoros is gravely wounded and his life is in danger," Rivas stated.

For the leadership of MUCA the Xatruch II operation promoted by the Porfirio Lobo regime is not only not resolving the dire agrarian conflict in the Aguán Valley region; it is worsening it. In less than a week there have been three attacks against organized campesinos that have left a total of two people murdered (Carlos Humberto Martínez and Enelda Fiallos) and three severely wounded (Germán Castro, Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla and Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz), an attempted kidnapping (Marco Antonio Paredes) and a violent eviction (on "La Consentida" farm).

"We have always maintained that militarization is not the solution, because it only adds to the problem of the paramilitary groups already operating in the region in the service of large landholders. The result is a series of attacks against organized campesinos. They want to destroy the stability and development of campesino organizations," Rivas concluded

Honduras
ULTIMO MOMENTO
Más sangre derramada en el Bajo Aguán
Cinco ataques mortales contra organizaciones campesinas en menos de una semana

Por Giorgio Trucchi - LINyM
http://nicaraguaymasespanol.blogspot.com/2011/10/ultimo-momento-honduras...

A las 10.30 de la mañana de este miércoles (5/10), dos directivos del asentamiento La Aurora, integrantes del Movimiento Unificado Campesino del Aguán (MUCA), Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla y Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz, fueron acribillados por desconocidos a la altura de la finca San Isidro, Sinaloa, en el Bajo Aguán.

De acuerdo con una primera reconstrucción de los hechos, los disparos que impactaron en la humanidad de los dos directivos del MUCA, que actualmente están hospitalizados en graves condiciones, provinieron de las plantaciones de palma africana de la finca San Isidro, propiedad del terrateniente y productor palmero, Miguel Facussé Barjum.

La noticia llegó justo mientras en Tegucigalpa el relator especial de las Naciones Unidas para la libertad de expresión, Frank La Rue, disertaba sobre la costante violación a la libertad de expresión y la impunidad en Honduras, en el marco de un importante Foro organizado por organizaciones nacionales e internacionales de derechos humanos.

"Es lamentable lo que sigue sucediendo en el Aguán, justo en ese momento cuando estamos desarrollando una actividad que tiene que ver mucho con la libertad de expresión, el respeto a los derechos humanos y a la vida", dijo Jonny Rivas, directivo del MUCA.

Rivas explicó que Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla recibió tres impactos de bala, uno de los cuales le entró en la boca con orificio de salida por la oreja. Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz recibió dos impactos de bala en la ingle. "Se desplazaban en vehículo por la finca San Isidro, que está permanentemente resguardada por guardias de seguridad de Miguel Facussé, y desde ahí dispararon al vehículo. No hay duda de que fueron atacados desde un lado de la carretera, desde la plantación. Pedro Matamoros está herido de gravedad y su vida está en peligro", afirmó Rivas.

Para el directivo del MUCA el operativo Xatruch II impulsado por el régimen de Porfirio Lobo no sólo no está resolviendo el grave conflicto agrario que hay en la zona del Valle del Aguán, sino que lo está profundizando. En menos de una semana se registraron tres atentados contra campesinos organizados que dejaron un saldo de dos personas asesinadas (Carlos Humberto Martínez y Enelda Fiallos) y tres heridos de gravedad (Germán Castro, Pedro Alfredo Matamoros Bonilla y Heder Jael Sánchez Cruz), un intento de secuestro (Marco Antonio Paredes) y un desalojo violento (finca La Consentida).

"Siempre hemos expresado que la militarización no es la solución, porque viene a sumarse a los grupos paramilitares que operan en la zona al servicio de los terratenientes. El resultado es una secuela de atentados en contra de los campesinos organizados. Quieren perjudicar la estabilidad y el desarrollo de la organizaciones campesinas", concluyó Rivas.