Palmerola, Zelaya’s legacy
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Mel Zelaya won a major victory for the Honduran left today. Toncontin will be reopened to air traffic…until Palmerola, a base an hour away from the capital, is ready. Leftists have always despised the presence of a U.S. military base in Honduras, especially since it was from this base that airplanes would presumably have taken off toward the Nicaraguan border during the time of the Contra guerrilla war in the 80s.
For several weeks, Zelaya has opposed the use of Tegucigalpa’s Toncontín Airport for large C and D type planes. I believe he was hoping to wrench Palmerola out of joint US-Honduran military control. In this he succeeded. Palmerola will become a civilian international airport, joined to the capital by a four-lane highway.
The future of the Soto Cano Air Force academy, which uses the airfield, was not specifically mentioned. The U.S military base will not be removed, but some agreement must be struck if civilians are to use the area.
Other left-leaning presidents have limited the Honduran armed forces before. Carlos Roberto Reina’s most lasting achievement was eliminating compulsory military service at the end of the cold war. The Honduran military in the 80s was extremely powerful, and has been accused repeatedly of murder and torture. One thing is certain; it was certainly very harsh on recruits, making young people flee every time military vehicles came by. Often they would forcibly round up those who tried to avoid military service, to the dismay of parents and their sons.
I agree with both these achievements, military service should be voluntary, and Palmerola is the most reasonable place for an airport for Tegucigalpa. But, the consequences are a generation of poor young men at risk to become urban delinquents, who could have become disciplined through military service, and the weakening of Honduran national defense.
Image by Enrique Galeano Morales, used with a Creative Commons license
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I’ve heard stories about boys being snatched up off the street, their parents not knowing whether they were dead or alive for months or years. I’m sure glad that that time has ended.
HOWEVER, it might not be such a bad idea if, say, a kid got in trouble, he be given the opportunity to join up or go to jail. Oh, but then that would mean that the police would have to actually catch some criminals….hmmm, that won’t work.
So, who’s going to make millions off Palmerola? Do you have any idea?
Nope, not yet. Probably InterAirports, the concession that’s been sprucing up Toncontin, I don’t know who’s involved though. He might have a different contractor lined up for it, anything’s possible with realismo magico.
Macho Man’s oldest son was one of those that got picked up on Friday night as he was coming out of the cinema. When they found out he was not yet 15, they beat him and then turned him loose in the jungle and told him to run, or they would shoot him. We were in panic mode for about 4 days. I am so glad that they no longer “draft” young men that way anymore.
Tio Mel is going to answer for a lot of things, don’t you think? Maybe not in this world, but in the world to come.
Ouch that sounds ominous!
I found your blog through La Gringa. Very insightful. I posted a link to this site on my blog in my post about the airport reopening.
Thanks Laurie for reading, and also for the link! I’m glad you liked.