Rights abuses continue under new Honduras leader

Less than a month into his term, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo is facing street protests, complaints of human rights violations, and criticism of the truth commission he set up to investigate the Jun. 28 coup that overthrew President Manuel Zelaya. Thousands of Zelaya supporters took to the streets Thursday to demand reforms of the constitution and an end to attacks on backers of the ousted president, denounce corruption and rights abuses since the coup, and protest the high cost of living and soaring poverty levels. Several teachers unions demanding payment of back wages also took part in the protests organized by the National Front of Resistance Against the Coup, now known as the Popular Resistance Front. In addition, the demonstrators were protesting Wednesday's murder of social activist Claudia Brizuela, the daughter of Pedro Brizuela, a veteran leftist leader who was a founder of the now-defunct Communist Party of Honduras and is a member of the Popular Resistance Front in the northern city of San Pedro Sula. The 36-year-old Brizuela was shot dead in her home by unidentified gunmen. Her father said her death "is clearly a message aimed at intimidating my family and the Popular Resistance Front.