Dana Frank on Honduras

Bill Resnick talks about Honduras with historian Dana Frank, who teaches at UC Santa Cruz, and has published a number of books on labor history, Latin America, and economic nationalism, as well as many articles in journals including the Nation, Foreign Affairs, and Politico .

They discuss how the results of the latest US-backed coup in Honduras is driving children to emigrate northwards, and they consider the problems of corruption, the interconnections of the government and drug organizations, and the violence of military and police when they are not held responsible for their acts. Frank notes that children are not similarly fleeing from Nicaragua, where the Sandinista legacy means that state power is held more responsible to community needs. Similarly, the new government in El Salvador offers hope. But the purported immigration crisis in the US is being used to justify further funding for the Honduran military and police.

Frank recommends that listeners contact their US Senators and representatives, many of whom have been responsive to voter demands to end funding for the Honduran military. She also suggests listeners can get involved with groups in the Honduras Solidarity Network, which in Portland include PCASC.