Three former Honduran coup plotters captured in Tegucigalpa and La Paz

Tegucigalpa, January 6 (RHC)-- The National Police of Honduras captured this Sunday the former Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Honduras, Romeo Orlando Vásquez Velásquez, involved in the coup d'état of June 28, 2009, against then-president Manuel Zelaya, as well as the former deputy head of the military entity, Venancio Cervantes, and the former commander of the Special Operations Command, Carlos Roberto Puerto, accused of homicide and serious injury crimes.

According to the statement from the Honduran Public Ministry, the three citizens have been presented with a "fiscal requirement" for "homicide and serious injury" against the citizens Isis Obed Murillo and Alex Roberto Zavala, followers of Zelaya, husband of the current president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro.

In coordination with the Public Ministry, the National Police carried out the arrests in Tegucigalpa and La Paz, a central region of Honduras, as reported by the Minister of Security, Gustavo Sánchez.

The text clarifies that Murillo received "a firearm projectile to the head while participating in a peaceful demonstration" near the Toncontín airport in Tegucigalpa. On the other hand, Zavala suffered "serious injuries" as a result of shots fired by Honduran soldiers.

Based on the investigations carried out, the Public Ministry described the actions of the military as "brutally disproportionate" for indiscriminately firing high-powered and large-caliber rifles (M-16) at citizens during a peaceful demonstration.

"These actions, which resulted in deaths and serious injuries, were not isolated acts, but crimes committed by elements of the Armed Forces under direct orders from the then Chief of the Joint Staff, the Deputy Chief, and the Director of Special Operations," explains the official statement.

In this way, the Public Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to fighting impunity and strengthening the rule of law in Honduras.  "The institution reiterates that no action that violates human rights should go unpunished," concludes the text.