We also demand respect for the popular vote of citizens who, in a country dominated by murders against social leaders, impunity and injustice, have taken to the streets to protest against the official dictatorship.

ATALC is a network of environmental organizations that work and fight for social and environmental justice, in defense of the territories and local communities inhabiting them, and that recognizes sovereign peoples as key actors of the transformation proposals towards a sustainable world.

In this way, since the coup d´Etat of June 2009 in Honduras against Juan Manuel Zelaya´s administration, we´ve been witnessing the serious worsening of persecutions and murders of environmental and human rights defenders of this country and of social activists in general. On the other hand, we see the admirable resistance by the Honduran people against the dictatorship, which was again reflected on Sunday and the subsequent protests to defend their vote.

ATALC expresses its solidarity with the Honduran people and their unwavering bravery. We also join the international alert that fears a scandalous electoral fraud in favor of the party in office, Partido Nacional, of president Juan Orlando Hernández, given the information we are receiving from Honduras. Social movements and organizations of the country had warned about this risk.

On Monday, the Supreme Electoral Court announced a five-point lead for the candidates opposing the Dictatorship, with almost 60 percent of ballots counted. This lead was ratified in the afternoon.

However, over 24 hours later, we don´t have conclusive official results, although the deputy member of the Supreme Electoral Court, Ramiro Lobo, has publically announced that the opposition´s winning trend is irreversible. But the current president is refusing to recognize the results and surrender power.

ATALC demands respect to the popular vote and the right of the people to mobilize in a peaceful way in defense of their sovereign decision at the polls. We declare ourselves on ALERT and we are following closely every development in Honduras.

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (ATALC)