tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107081512024-03-07T01:43:50.481-08:00Honduras LivingA gathering spot, Blog, for anyone interested in living, retiring, or investing in HondurasDON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-12315430530733246222021-01-18T12:59:00.000-08:002021-01-18T13:00:19.699-08:00Hungry in Tegucigalpa?<p> Following is a list or restaurants. Although totally subjective, I will rate each one with $ to connote whether expensive ($- $$$$), * will connote whether I liked the restaurant and would continue to frequent (*- ****). one * means don't bother and **** indicates it's good (food, service, ambiance, etc). !!!! means that the restaurant is one of Don Godo's favorites.</p><p>This list will continue to evolve as I add restaurants and delete ones that have closed down.</p><p>I will try to mention what the restaurant is good at or specializes in. They are not listed in any particular order.</p><p>Here goes...</p><p>Tacos Don Manolito, Mexican, wide assortment of Mexican style tacos, two locations, we prefer the one in Lomas Del Guijarro, near the American School, tel. 2243.2111 and 8973.8453. It's clean, good food and good service! ($$, ****, !!!!)</p><p>Claudio's, Italian, pasta and Pizza. One of the better places for pizza. Castaño Sur, tel. 9944.4096 ($$$, ***)</p><p>Hacienda Real, Steaks. In my view the best place in Tegucigalpa for steaks. The perfect combination of food cooked to perfection, great ambiance, and service to match. I usually order the 'lomito Perez' and split it with my wife. The 'ceviches' are also quite good as is the 'queso fundido'. Blv. Juan Pablo, tel. 2239.6860 ($$$$,****, !!!!). Don Godo's absolute favorite.</p>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-20413535210415940362021-01-12T10:03:00.000-08:002021-01-12T10:03:56.804-08:00Back After a Sabbatical of Sorts<p> I haven't posted in this blog for about eight years... A long sabbatical if you will... Actually, I was very disillusioned with the direction of things in Honduras. In O'Henry's 1904 book, 'Cabbages and Kings', he coined the term 'Banana Republic' in describing Anchuria. Anchuria is the name of his fictionized Honduras, but unfortunately, the label 'Banana Republic' still applies... Some things just don't change.</p><p>Even worse, other descriptive labels are also relevant: 'failed state', 'insecurity', 'systematic and institutionalized corruption', 'authoritarian', and 'narco-state'. These are just a few terms that come to mind, but the list could go on...</p><p>Regardless, I have come to terms with what is and what isn't. So I prefer to just move on and accept Honduras for what it is... The good, the bad, and the ugly. There is no reason to live with disillusion on a permanent basis... </p><p>So for now, I plan to focus on what my blog was originally intended to discuss: Honduras Living</p>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-83367642958108291992013-11-28T11:25:00.004-08:002013-11-28T11:25:54.928-08:00Observations on the 2013 election1) Juan Orlando Hernandez won with 35% of the vote. That means that the vast majority or 65% of the people did not vote for him.<br />
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2) Honduras has traditionally been a two party system dominated by the Nationalists and Liberal parties. Now there are four major parties including LIBRE (socialist) and PAC (anti-corruption). <br />
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3) The Liberal party historically was the largest party in Honduras. Now it is no. 3 (behind LIBRE).<br />
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4) The Honduran president has normally enjoyed a majority in the congress, and has been able to easily push his agenda without much dissent. This has now changed, and the president must now find 'partners' to work with, so there will have to be much more 'give and take'.<br />
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5) The Honduran people want major changes in their society and country as evidenced by the election results. The challenges are many and none are simple to resolve. Foremost, the challenges include: insecurity (Honduras has the highest murder rate in world), corruption, a stagnant economy, a bankrupt government that cannot pay salaries to teachers and doctor, a massive debt burden, broken educational and medical systems, ineptitude throughout the government, and a collapsing infrastructure. The list could go on and on. Unfortunately, Honduras today borders on being a failed state.<br />
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In conclusion, the 2013 elections were a watershed moment and should be seen by the political establishment as a very serious 'wake-up call'. Mr. Hernandez has only four short years in which to meet the challenge. If he pursues business as usual, Honduras may well resort to radical change in the next election. The people deserve more than what the traditional politicians have given them in the past. They want to walk the streets in safety, they want a better life for their families, they want education and health care, they want greater economic equality, and above all they want opportunities and a better life for themselves and their children.<br />
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I hope and pray that JOH understands the gravity of the situation and has the determination to lead Honduras out of the despair that engulfs the nation today.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-67162115391205213682013-05-17T09:16:00.001-07:002013-05-17T09:19:15.618-07:00Amanda's updateI last reviewed Amanda's on Dec. 31, 2009. Since then, I have dined there countless times and have always been a 'happy camper' so to speak as this has always been one of my favorite Teguz restaurants.<br />
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A few days ago, I went there for lunch. While the atmosphere and service are still great, I must admit I was disappointed...No, the food still tastes delicious. In fact, I had a bowl of lentil soup to start with and it was fantastic (with a dash of Tabasco added)...the best lentil soup I've had in Honduras.<br />
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The menu is still the same, and prices haven't gone up...well, uh, maybe prices have increased but just not on the menu...Instead of increasing prices the size of the portions have miraclulously shrunk. I almost always get the muffaletta sandwich (being from New Orleans). Definitely not overstuffed, it's about a third shorter with only about half the meat as before.<br />
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My wife noted that her lettuce wraps contained the same amount of lettuce and carrots as the last time, but was mystified by the scanty amount of chicken and noodles...<br />
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I guess this is inflation Honduran style...always being a bit too clever assuming no one will notice.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-32184097088571608812013-05-16T08:02:00.001-07:002013-05-16T08:02:40.866-07:00Atentado a la cultura de Honduras - Diario El Heraldo de HondurasSo sad...a country without patrimony is a country without a soul...<br />
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<a href="http://www.elheraldo.hn/Secciones-Principales/Metro/Atentado-a-la-cultura-de-Honduras#.UZT03jxoLVo.blogger">Atentado a la cultura de Honduras - Diario El Heraldo de Honduras</a>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-5521526460079553722013-01-31T07:25:00.001-08:002013-01-31T07:25:56.781-08:00Honduras economy on brink of collapse - Americas - Al Jazeera English<a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/01/201313193751474775.html#.UQqM7cMcquw.blogger">Honduras economy on brink of collapse - Americas - Al Jazeera English</a>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-57190334046370845412013-01-24T13:25:00.001-08:002013-01-24T13:25:17.899-08:00Waiting for another coup in November...<br />
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Replaying the 2009 Political Crisis</h2>
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In the week before the planned poll, intense negotiations between Mr. Zelaya and his chief political rival, President of the Congress Roberto Micheletti Bain, failed to produce a compromise on the Fourth Urn. (Note: During elections, Hondurans deposit their completed ballots in boxes called urns. There are three urns in an election: one for votes for president, one for members of congress and one for municipal officials.)</div>
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<br />Concerned that Mr. Zelaya would manipulate the results of the poll to demand that Congress install the Fourth Urn, the Honduran Congress, Armed Forces, Supreme Court and Attorney General conspired to remove Mr. Zelaya from office claiming he had committed crimes against the Constitution that made him ineligible to continue as President. In the hours before dawn on June 29, 2009, the Honduran Army removed Mr. Zelaya from his house and put him on an Air Force plane to Costa Rica. The world awoke to Mr. Zelaya on international news claiming he had been the victim of a coup d’etat. Roberto Micheletti claimed the move was a “constitutional succession,” and he assumed the presidency; no country in the world recognized his de facto government.</div>
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With the support of the international community, Honduras held democratic elections in November 2009, and elected Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo Sosa as its president.</div>
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This year is starting off eerily similar to 2009 with a constitutional crisis involving the Supreme Court. In 2009, the question was what would happen if the National Congress didn’t name fifteen new Supreme Court Justices before the deadline specified in the Constitution. The crisis was avoided when the Congress elected the fifteen magistrates minutes before the midnight deadline. In 2013, the question is what to do with four justices removed from the Supreme Court by a Congressional vote, and the four justices sworn in to replace them. The former judges have asked the Supreme Court to declare their removal unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court denied the request.</div>
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Once again, the Honduran President is directly involved in the controversy. In 2009, it was Manuel Zelaya who argued for reelection of some of the magistrates so he could have some measure of influence over the court. Current President Porfirio Lobo encouraged the Congress to remove the justices following several of their decisions that went against his administration. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the declaration by the Constitutional Court that the law allowing the Honduran police to conduct polygraphs and other “confidence tests” on police officers was unconstitutional. Curiously, the decision came after the law’s six month validity had expired; the tests had already been administered and some police officers had been fired. </div>
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Of course, this is an election year, and there is a school of thought that the Honduran Congress removed the justices because the government was concerned about how the Supreme Court would rule on a request by National Party presidential candidate and Tegucigalpa Mayor Ricardo Álvarez to recount, vote for vote, the results of the November 2012 primary elections. Mayor Álvarez lost those elections to President of Congress Juan Orlando Hernández, but demonstrated irregularities in the final reports provided by some polling stations that would indicate fraud in favor of Congressman Hernández. International observers did not report widespread fraud but admitted that their observations were not located in the small districts where Mr. Hernández is strongest and where Mr. Álvarez alleged the machinations took place. Mr. Álvarez is President Lobo’s preferred candidate to succeed him in the presidency with general elections to take place in November 2013.</div>
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Judicial controversies are not the only problems plaguing Honduras in 2013. The government finished the year with a budget deficit that exceeded US$1 billion (6 percent of GDP) and many public sectors did not receive their December salary or year-end bonus. Honduras has attempted to finance its budget deficit by offering sovereign debt but has been unable to find any buyers. The local financial system has refused to purchase bonds, and it is unlikely Honduras will find international banks willing to assume the risk despite the large interest rates being offered.</div>
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Crime increased significantly in the second half of 2012; even Minister of Security Pompeyo Bonilla admitted that Honduras experienced a spike in homicides in the 45 days ending the year with the police unable to stem the tide. The early advances in effectiveness and reduced corruption gained after the arrival of National Police Chief Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla (no relation to the Minister) in the second quarter of 2012 have leveled off, and the police seemed to have returned to their status quo of mediocrity.</div>
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President Lobo broached the topic of the Fourth Urn during the first Ministers Council meeting of 2013 in which he said there would definitely be a consultation of the people during the November elections. The 2009 Fourth Urn would have been a plebiscite to ask the people if they wanted to install a Constituent Assembly to reform the Honduran constitution. The Fourth Urn in 2013 will likely ask the Constituent Assembly question as well as other national interest questions such as should the government renegotiate the contracts with the large private energy generating companies with the idea of extracting more money from them for the government. </div>
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What is the difference between 2009 and 2013? Why the Fourth Urn now when it was denied then? The difference lies in the support for the president from the other branches of government. In 2009, Mr. Zelaya was isolated since the Congress was controlled by his rival Mr. Micheletti and the Supreme Court was loyal to former Honduran President Carlos Flores. Mr. Zelaya had popular support, and he maintained the loyalty of the Honduran Armed Forces until he fired Chief of the Armed Forces General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez four days before the June 28 poll. In 2013, Mr. Lobo has the support of Mr. Hernández, who is also the National Party presidential candidate. The Supreme Court will not be a factor since the Congress has intimidated the justices. The Armed Forces are led by General René Osorio who was previously in charge of Mr. Lobo’s Presidential Guard. </div>
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What are the possible outcomes? Mr. Hernández fully expects to win the presidency outright using the full economic and political power of his position as head of the Congress. The opposition is divided between the Liberal Party candidate Mauricio Villeda and Mr. Zelaya’s wife Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, who heads the Liberty and Refoundation (Libre) Party founded by Mr. Zelaya after his return from exile in the Dominican Republic. </div>
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The Fourth Urn serves two purposes for Mr. Hernández. If he wins the November elections, he will assume the presidency in January 2014 and use the results of the Fourth Urn vote to justify convening the Constituent Assembly at the end of his first year or beginning of his second year. Mr. Hernández’s objective would be to lengthen the presidential term from four to six years and/or change the Constitution to permit reelection. Following the drafting of the new Constitution sometime during Mr. Hernández’s second year, the country will return to the polls where Mr. Hernández will hope to win a second term with the structure in place to continue in power for many years to come. This is similar to what Rafael Correa did in Ecuador with successful results.</div>
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In the unlikely event that Mr. Hernández does not win the November elections, the Fourth Urn gives him a viable Plan B. The total votes in favor of the Fourth Urn will likely outnumber the total votes of any single presidential candidate including the winner of the election. In this case, Mr. Lobo and Mr. Hernández could declare that the true will of the people is the Constituent Assembly and not the results of the polls and convene the Constituent Assembly immediately. The government would either declare the election results invalid or ignore them. The delegates for the Constituent Assembly would be the current members of Congress, many of whom are not up for reelection and would not mind staying in power for a year or more.</div>
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In this scenario, Mr. Lobo knows he would not be reelected and Hernandez would probably not open Pandora’s Box to permit past presidents including Mr. Zelaya and the still-popular Carlos Flores to run again, so the Constituent Assembly would simply amplify the presidential term to six years and convoke new elections. Mr. Hernández would hope to use his power as president of the Constituent Assembly to reverse the result of the previous election.</div>
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So, while some of the actors have changed and the final result may be different, what is certain is that Honduras is headed for another turbulent election year. (1/24/13)</div>
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<em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: This article was originally published by <a href="http://southernpulse.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #3e5e81; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Southern Pulse</a>.</em></div>
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DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-6659071391311834952012-11-17T09:32:00.001-08:002012-11-17T09:33:50.772-08:00Isn't it time for the Honduran government to insist that the USA return Mayan artifacts taken from Honduras?<br />
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Below is a recent BBC article.</h1>
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United States returns to Peru last Machu Picchu artefacts</h1>
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<img alt="Machu Picchu" height="261" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/64102000/jpg/_64102372_64102246.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0px; position: relative;" width="464" /><span style="display: block; width: 464px;">Machu Picchu is the main tourist attraction in Peru, but there are concerns over the high number of visitors to the Andean citadel<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">The last of the artefacts taken from Machu Picchu by American archaeologist who rediscovered the Inca citadel have been returned to Peru.</span></span><br />
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More than 35,000 pottery fragments and other pieces were flown from Yale University to the Andean city of Cusco.</div>
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They had been taken to the US by archaeologist Hiram Bingham, who brought the site to international attention in 1911.</div>
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The move completes a deal signed in 2010, following legal action by Peru.</div>
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It argued that Bingham had only been loaned the artefacts.</div>
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The American archaeologist and historian took to Yale some 46,000 ceramics, bone fragments and metal pieces.</div>
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The first and second lots of artefacts arrived back in Peru last year.</div>
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The best pieces will now be on display in a newly built museum in nearby Cusco.</div>
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The citadel of Machu Picchu, located 2,500m (8,200ft) above sea level, was built in the 15th Century by the Incas.</div>
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It is Peru's main tourist attraction, attracting more than 1 million visitors a year.</div>
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DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-40861706623115798342012-05-23T18:56:00.001-07:002012-05-23T18:56:13.015-07:00"God, give me a sign, if you believe that I should be president"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-12593467405715918292012-05-22T15:18:00.001-07:002012-05-22T15:19:42.561-07:00Pepe promised change...at least he delivered..."Neither work nor security"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q-nVOluOyNHUdX8R5nXBGFrENTV2LUE5p5aZdeBazEO3qy7i3Il23ZjWq-GSeM0wPlxRE4MTQUqOCDJ7CeO051a-00J4-yYXest3d7QYrww_k1WFsBe4_TPRDKB_QxurNL8R/s1600/550901_315098328567838_100002030197323_663985_691461198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q-nVOluOyNHUdX8R5nXBGFrENTV2LUE5p5aZdeBazEO3qy7i3Il23ZjWq-GSeM0wPlxRE4MTQUqOCDJ7CeO051a-00J4-yYXest3d7QYrww_k1WFsBe4_TPRDKB_QxurNL8R/s320/550901_315098328567838_100002030197323_663985_691461198_n.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-13305005371607024402011-11-30T07:27:00.001-08:002011-11-30T07:28:50.596-08:00BBC: "Latin American poverty at new low"I was happy and excited when I saw this article in the BBC's online edition today, until I got to the sentence that read, "Poverty increased only in Honduras and Mexico".DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-83206390688441346322011-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:002011-09-10T08:01:26.902-07:00A sign of the timesOne day this week, my family and I were driving on the 'anillo periferico' in Tegucigalpa. We passed a motorcycle with two men on it. My wife immediately cried out, "Did you see that? The man in the back is carrying a pistol..." For the benefit of full disclosure, I must admit that I did not see the gun as my attention was somewhere else. She went on, "They're looking for someone to mug...He just has the gun in his hand with his arm down by his side."<br />
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I replied, "Well, how come he doesn't at least hide it?"<br />
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My wife continued, "He has to be ready when the opportunity arises..."<br />
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Well, I guess this was just another typical day in the city, and a sign of the times in Honduras...DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-80311740594088939142011-08-14T14:25:00.000-07:002011-08-14T16:58:55.516-07:00The Story of Don Jose, an unknown artist from Guarita, an unknown town; or Honduran Patrimony that could be saved but probably won'tI recently had an exchange on my high school's virtual reunion site on Facebook with another alumni. Now, you must know that I went to high school in North Carolina, so I found it a pleasant surprise to find another former student sharing somewhat my passion for all things Honduran. Our exchange went something like this:<br />
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DG: I'm living between New Orleans and Tegucigalpa...<br />
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Trish: What were you doing in Tegucigalpa? One of my favorite restaurants is there!<br />
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DG: My family is in Honduras and I live in New Orleans and commute back and forth. But my home is Tegucigalpa because home is where the heart is...What is your connection with Honduras?<br />
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Trish: ...I was part of a foundation to save the murals of an "outsider" (untrained) artist in Guarita, a little village in the highlands near the border of El Salavador. He had painted his entire colonial home (with 12' walls) in "mud paintings" made from the local pigments...<br />
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DG: How are the murals now? Were they saved? Unfortunately, Honduras' patriomony is decaying from neglect....would love it if you could email some photos of the murals as I collect tidbits about Honduran culture, history, and art...<br />
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Trish: Unfortunately not. We had two meetings with the Minister of Culture and she sent people from the Ministry of Anthropology and Archaeology to look at the site. There was even talk of adding this to their project called the "Lenca Trail" but basically I think they were hoping we were going to be able to find funding for the project. With the economy as it is in the US people aren't very receptive to spending money on the arts, especially in another country!...I traveled with a professional photographer and we have an amazing folio of the murals...<br />
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Well, my interest was tweaked and I googled it. I found the following:<br />
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The House as a Book: Colonial History and Reading in the Outsider Art of Jose Expectacion Navarro (Gauarita, Honduras)<br />
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"In the small town of Guarita, Honduras, is a house that from the outside, looks like most of the other small adobe and stucco house in town. However, inside, the walls of this house are covered with murals and text depicting such subjects as the Virgin of Suyapa; the pre-Columbian history of the Mayas; the Spanish conquest of the Americas, especially Central America; Honduran independence in 1821; the arrival of the three kings at the birth of Christ; and much more, all intermingled with personal history from the family of the artist who created all of these scenes, Jose Expectacion Navarro. Don Jose, who passed away in 2002, was a history teacher and principal of the local school as well as having served as the secretary of the municipality. When his wife passed away in 1984, he began to paint his murals as a way to deal with his grief. The results are a fascinating blend of pictures and text giving a personalized view of Honduran history both politically and religiously. <br />
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The murals that Don Jose created are the work of both a widower working through his loss and the expression by a local intellectual of how personal and local history connect to the wider history of the region. By turning the inside of his house into a history book, Don Jose interprets the past, especially through the adaptation of colonial forms of presentation, whether from his native Honduras or from other parts of Spanish America."<br />
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And yes, my new Facebook friend sent me some great photos which I'm pleased to share below. <br />
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Wouldn't it be great if my fellow expats and those interested in Honduran culture and art could find a way to help save this valuable work before time destroys it? Please leave comments.<br />
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DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-21929871786000026502011-07-10T14:04:00.000-07:002011-07-10T14:04:47.467-07:00So Sad...!!!<div><div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Clinica Esperanza to Shut Its Doors After Today</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Posted on July 8, 2011 by roatanreporter</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Bogged down by red tape, Nurse Peggy can no longer operate the clinic</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">BY JEFF STRATTON</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Unused and unlicensed: The upstairs of Nurse Peggy's clinic, waiting since March for approval to open</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">A press release issued by Nurse Peggy Stranges at 8:30 a.m. today:</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">“It is unfortunate that we are closing Clinica Esperanza on Monday. We have worked with the Ministry of Health since before March to acquire our license for the clinic without success. We also have a container with necessary equipment for the municipal hospital and Clinica Esperanza that has been here since April and has not been released. The Ministry of Health has been working on a dispensa for the container since February. We can no longer sit by idly while the people of Roatan suffer for these two pieces of paper.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I want to thank Julio Galindo and the Grant family for donating the land that made Clinica Esperanza a reality. I want to thank deputado Romeo Silvestri, Dr. Fermin Lopez and Mr. Clinton Everett for all their help in dealing with the license and the container</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">release.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I am sorry for any inconvenience this causes our patients but we can no longer continue under the present circumstances.”</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">My comment: Too bad Pepe's administration isn't as competent in helping improve life for Hondurans as he is in getting impunity for corrupt ex-presidents.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div></div></div>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-85805103315529806912011-06-15T14:16:00.000-07:002011-06-15T14:58:11.652-07:00Agents 'let cartels buy US gun'- BBC News online15 June 2011 Last updated at 16:17 ET <br />
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Hundreds of US guns were bought, resold and sent to Mexican drug cartels in an Arizona sting operation while US firearms agents were ordered not to intervene, Congress has heard.<br />
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Three firearms agents said they were told to track the movement of the weaponry, but not to make any arrests. US lawmakers expressed outrage at the details of Operation Fast and Furious.<br />
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The news comes one day after a report suggested Mexican drug cartels have armed themselves with US weapons. The report suggests some 70% of firearms recovered from Mexican crime scenes in 2009 and 2010 and submitted for tracing came from the US.<br />
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On Wednesday, congressional lawmakers concluded that Fast and Furious, which was designed to track small-time gun buyers to major weapons traffickers along America's south-west border, never led to the arrest of any major traffickers.<br />
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The guns tracked by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were reportedly used in numerous killings in Mexico.<br />
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Lawmakers on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee said they demanded answers from the Obama administration about why no arrests were made while investigators were tracking the firearms.<br />
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"We monitored as they purchased handguns, AK-47 variants and .50 caliber rifles, almost daily at times," ATF agent John Dodson told the committee. He added that though he wanted to "intervene and interdict these weapons", his supervisors told him not to make any arrests.<br />
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At a hearing prior to the panel, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said "hundreds upon hundreds of weapons" destined for cartels in Mexico were purchased in gun shops in Arizona. Operation Fast and Furious was designed to track weaponry as it moved from small-time gun buyers to major traffickers, who have often avoided prosecution.<br />
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In December two US assault rifles were found at the scene of a shootout where Customs and Border Protection agent Brian Terry was killed.<br />
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"We ask that if a government official made a wrong decision that they admit their error and take responsibility for his or her actions," Robert Heyer, the deceased agent's cousin, told the panel on Wednesday.<br />
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Nearly 35,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico since December 2006, and many of the killings have been carried out with guns smuggled in from the US.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-71426064939427370632011-06-14T15:26:00.000-07:002011-06-14T15:26:58.184-07:00U.S. guns fuel Mexico violenceA U.S. Congressional study reports that some 70% of firearms recovered from Mexican crime scenes in 2009 and 2010 can be traced to the U.S. (According to today's BBC website).<br />
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My take... if the U.S. is not willing to curb the flow of guns to Mexico and Central America, then the countries that have been victimized by these guns should legalize the drug trade and end the senseless violence that has resulted from the 'drug wars'. The drug trade is fuelled by American demand, and to add insult to injury, the US supplies the guns to the drug gangs. Why should innocent Latinos pay the price with their blood?DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-3214940895441293172011-06-10T07:48:00.000-07:002011-06-10T15:37:18.202-07:00A solution to police corruption?Everyone complains about police corruption in Honduras, whether it's having to pay 100 Lemps when stopped by traffic cops or perceived police involvement in more serious crimes such as kidnappings and robberies. A partial remedy to this problem, or at least a step in the right direction is simple and cheap.<br />
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Last month, I was in Ecuador as part of a business trip. I noticed an article in the local paper announcing that as part of a government effort to 'increase public confidence in the police, insure a police force of high moral character, and to eradicate corruption', all police would have to undergo polygraph tests. What a brilliant idea...both cost effective and an efficient deterrent!<br />
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Since Honduras is a poor country with meager resources, this type of preventive measure can be introduced without a great expenditure of public funds. A private company could be contracted to administer the tests in order avoid any potential conflicts of interests or collusion.<br />
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I hope Oscar Alvarez will read this post and consider the idea, and that some of my readers will help to further publicize this idea and push for its implementation.<br />
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As an aside, the editorial cartoon that day was priceless. It showed a large woman towering over her smaller husband who was sweating profusely during her interrogation, with the caption, 'poligrafo casero' (household polygraph).DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-74639944308441431892011-05-22T17:38:00.000-07:002011-05-22T17:42:21.028-07:00William Walker, RIP<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuplgt13RNN-lH5od9k4mwcPIdGIKE6JM2F9sV3vzEn5asM9BwlQJsZ7Q0-vK1Be_XSctDZtzVDv-fkLnf3qGeGA2OUPGN6fV7QfC50Z-57oITsrR0aiCxmamLCA9rWSmJqAT/s1600/DSCF0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuplgt13RNN-lH5od9k4mwcPIdGIKE6JM2F9sV3vzEn5asM9BwlQJsZ7Q0-vK1Be_XSctDZtzVDv-fkLnf3qGeGA2OUPGN6fV7QfC50Z-57oITsrR0aiCxmamLCA9rWSmJqAT/s320/DSCF0852.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tomb of William Walker, Trujillo, Honduras<br />
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The tombstone reads:<br />
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William Walker<br />
Executed<br />
12 September 1860</td></tr>
</tbody></table>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-47368389834326432852011-05-10T18:12:00.000-07:002011-05-10T18:15:30.886-07:00Why, oh why?One of my family's favorite escapes from the daily grind of Tegucigalpa is dining out, but I guess that's going to change...<br />
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This past Sunday, on Mother's Day, my favorite seafood restaurant, Tony Mars, was assaulted. According to El Heraldo in Monday's edition, two people were killed. It seems the assailants were disguised as police. One of the patrons was armed and a gun battle ensued.<br />
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I had heard of restaurants being assaulted with all the patrons being robbed before, but I never thought much about it. I guess it really hit home this time because I've eaten at Tony Mars many times. Their fried shrimp are simply the best I've had anywhere...<br />
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Also, they had private security, but the assailants were disguised as police so, so much for the security.<br />
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Even though we weren't there at the time, we could have been. That's how random the violence has become in Honduras. While you may not be an intended target, you are always at risk. <br />
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Somehow I feel violated myself...and I guess our nights out on the town will be dramatically reduced. In the long run, that means we'll save a little money, but that's also bad for the economy...less money being spent means less income for restaurants, waiters, fewer jobs, etc., etc.<br />
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How can Honduras be 'open for business' if you can't feel safe eating dinner with your family?DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-28873218731099596482011-04-08T17:39:00.000-07:002011-04-08T17:39:59.761-07:00Whether rain, sleet, or shine; the mailman never comes...In the comments section of another Honduran blogger, I opined that I've come to the view that Honduras is a 'semi-failed state', on the road to full-fledged 'failed state' status. Things just don't work in Honduras, basic things, uncomplicated things... The list is quite long...education, lack of security, sanitation, water, etc., etc. On top of it all is the endemic corruption that is pervasive throughout the country, at all levels of government and society.<br />
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Last year, Honduras had an exceptionally rainy wet season, but yet was unable to fill its reservoirs. Due to a lack of maintenance, it had to release the water and now faces water shortages again. Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the world and is unable to provide security to its citizens.<br />
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But one of the symptoms of its 'semi-failed state' status that really bugs me is the fact that its postal system doesn't work. According to stories I've heard, it used to work...albeit 30-40 years ago. Then there was so much corruption and theft in the post office that people were afraid to mail anything, assuming that it would be stolen and never reach its destination. So people quit utilizing the postal system, and little by little it quit functioning.<br />
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The result is that now, whenever you want to pay a bill, instead of dropping a check in the mail, you must go to a bank, wait in line for 20-30 minutes to pay your bill. The chances are that the bank's system is down, but you don't know this until you've waited for what seems an eternity. So, you have to go back the next day and try again. To make it worse, you can't pay all your bills at just one bank. No... This is Honduras. It just has to be time consuming and frustrating. So you pay your water bill at one bank, school tuition at another, electric bill at another, and cable bill somewhere else, etc., etc.<br />
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If all the hours wasted by literally hundreds of thousands of people monthly, doing nothing but standing in lines over and over again were funneled into a productive activity, something could actually be accomplished. But no, since people can't trust the post office, it has withered away into nothingness and a whole nation is condemned to waiting in useless lines.<br />
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Someday, I'm going to do an experiment and post a letter to my father in law since I know he actually has a 'buzon' (mailbox). I will let you know whether it is ever received and how long it takes.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-2049085478185597462011-03-26T10:19:00.000-07:002011-03-26T10:21:58.263-07:00High Coffee PricesAccording to the March 8, 2011 edition of the Wall St. Journal, a headline reports 'Arabica Coffee Prices Near a 14-Year High'. Bad weather in Central America and Columbia have kept prices high with Arabica rallying 46% over the past six months.<br />
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Obviously, high coffee prices are good for Honduras where coffee is a major export crop. My question though, is how much of the higher prices will actually benefit small farmers and producers and trickle-down into the wider economy as a whole?DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-77618925863406185552011-03-14T18:21:00.000-07:002011-05-11T09:34:44.699-07:00Finding a Needle in a HaystackI really like honey, I mean I really like honey. And, it's always irked me that the only honey I could find in Honduras is just 'miel de abeja' (often sour tasting or watered down), no other varieties such as clover, orange blossom, wild flower, etc., etc. as this is one specialty that I've always thought that Honduras could produce given the array of agriculture and vegetation throughout the country. <br />
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One of my favorites has always been 'orange blossom'. Whenever I'm in Florida, I always buy a few jars to bring home. So I've often complained and wondered why they didn't produce it in Honduras since there are so many orange groves in the northern part of the country. It would be a great artisanal item, and I'm sure I'm not alone in my appreciation of it's unique flavor.<br />
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Well, I'm glad to report that my wife was driving past Lake Yojoa recently and stopped at a small stand by the road. She's well aware of my honey fetish, and saw that they had three types of honey ranging from dark to a light amber. The honey was in plain jars without any labels or markings. She asked the vendor what each type was, and sure enough, one of them was 'orange blossom'.<br />
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So she bought a jar. The price was about half of what you pay for generic honey in a Honduran supermarket<br />
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The flavor was suberb, actually better than much of the honey in Florida, as it was not pasteurized and was totally natural...not as highly processed as in the States, just rich in flavor (and probably more nutrients).<br />
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I wish they could improve their packaging somewhat as it would be great for retail in supermarkets and specialty shops.<br />
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My wife found me that always elusive 'needle in the haystack'.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-88037573358946472192011-01-24T16:57:00.000-08:002011-01-24T16:57:44.186-08:00As seen in Lyon, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just thought everyone would like to see that Honduran products can actually sell in upscale stores. My wife and I saw this sign during a recent trip to Lyon. I must admit we felt a certain hometown pride when we ordered an espresso made with the coffee of the month, Honduran coffee that is...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSAJT49KNtZAaW5tn6UbYEo9CDM6OGMGoP-3C5zYI2abjnouQTys4YuQ3GBmAwteyNXnUZLsbgDvJ5oSv6LavvkuwMBP4F1tyUrLlCb73QKFL813PLKxXtvgmXDYALnOz-VA3/s1600/DSCF0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSAJT49KNtZAaW5tn6UbYEo9CDM6OGMGoP-3C5zYI2abjnouQTys4YuQ3GBmAwteyNXnUZLsbgDvJ5oSv6LavvkuwMBP4F1tyUrLlCb73QKFL813PLKxXtvgmXDYALnOz-VA3/s320/DSCF0732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-18168192810129281272011-01-14T07:28:00.000-08:002011-01-14T07:47:44.737-08:00Distressing StatisticsAccording to 'El Heraldo' (Jan. 13, 2011), the annual murder rate in Honduras is 77 per 100,000 people, and has doubled in the past five years. That's one murder every two hours!!! <br />
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In Honduras's two largest cities, the statistics are even more grim. San Pedro Sula has a murder rate of 125/100,000 making it the third most deadly city in the world (after Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and Kandahar, Afghanistan). Not wanting to be outdone, Tegucigalpa ranks no. 6 worldwide with a murder rate of 109/100,000 (edging out Guatemala City which is no. 7).<br />
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This upward spiral in violence started its dramatic increase under the regime of Mel Zelaya. It simply amazes me that Pepe Lobo's main focus is bringing Mel back to Honduras, instead of focusing on security for Honduras' citizens. Does Pepe have a poor sense of prioritization, or what...?DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10708151.post-65922389097599855582010-12-27T11:21:00.000-08:002010-12-29T08:37:38.740-08:00Los Jabones de Mis HijasThis past September, I was in San Salvador for business. Close to my hotel, I stumbled upon a jewel of a boutique, specializing in handmade soaps called, 'Los Jabones de Mis Hijas'. It's located in the 'Zona Rosa', and is run by three sisters. They have over 30 varieties of soaps available, all handmade by the sisters. The soaps all cost $3.50 per 100 grs. I bought mango, honey and beewax, coffee, and rose.<br />
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If you're traveling to San Salvador, I highly recommend stopping in as the soaps make great gifts! The quality is what you would expect to find in a specialty boutique in France or Spain.<br />
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My only question, why don't Honduran artisans make unique, quality products that travelers actually want to buy?<br />
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The blog their shop is: www.losjabonesdemishijas.blogspot.com<br />
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Also, check out their Facebook page.DON GODOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11725163627203770644noreply@blogger.com3