Vancouverites picket Goldcorp offices in support of Honduran resistance

http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/1768

July 23, 2009
All out against the Coup in Honduras
Vancouverites picket Goldcorp offices in support of Honduran resistance

by Dawn Paley →Honduras, →Free Trade & Gateway Projects

Dozens of people gathered today for a lunchtime information picket in front of the head offices of Goldcorp Inc in downtown Vancouver, protesting against the company's involvement in the military coup in Honduras.

This is the fourth action in Vancouver against the nearly month-long coup regime of Roberto Micheletti.

"We came here to stand in solidarity with the people of Honduras, who are fighting for democracy in their country," said Marla Renn, co-chair of Stopwar.ca. The group targeted the gold mining giant "because Goldcorp is supporting the coup in Honduras," she said.

Goldcorp has been an active supporter of the coup, providing material support to employees to attend pro-coup rallies. The company operated the San Martin mine, which was Central America's largest, until shut down began last year.

Peter Kent, Canada's Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, emailed a statement on Monday which discouraged the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya "prior to a negotiated resolution."

"Canadians champion democracy, but the Canadian government is complicit in overthrowing democracy in Honduras, as is Goldcorp," said Andrea Pinochet, who helped to organize the picket.

Though at times they were nearly drowned out by a live jazz band playing just meters away, protesters chanted slogans and handed out leaflets to the people passing by.

"We will continue to protest until Zelaya is back in Honduras," said Pinochet.