Young Hondurans Lead Unprecedented Anti-Corruption Movement
Young Hondurans Lead Unprecedented Anti-Corruption Movement
By Thelma Mejía
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The rain has not stopped the ever-growing weekly torch marches organised by the Outraged in the capital of Honduras and
50 other cities around the country. The peaceful protests are demanding the creation of an International Commission
Against Impunity, to combat corruption and strengthen democracy. Credit: Thelma Mejía/IPS
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TEGUCIGALPA, Jul 21 2015 (IPS) - A Honduran spring is happening, led by young people mobilising over the social networks, who are flooding the streets with weekly torch marches against corruption and impunity.
Since late May, the peaceful movement of young people who declare themselves indignados or outraged has broken down the medias resistance to cover what is happening, and has brought hundreds of thousands of people out on the streets in Tegucigalpa and 50 other cities around the country.
The torch marches are demanding the creation of an international commission to fight corruption and impunity, purge this Central American countrys institutions, and strengthen democracy. The Oposición Indignada or Outraged Opposition citizen movement is largely made up of middle-class young people upset over the embezzlement of 200 to 300 million dollars in the countrys social security institute (IHSS).
According to the investigations, some of the money was used to finance the right-wing National Party (PN), which has governed the country since 2010. The scandal also involved the purchase of equipment at marked-up prices, and of expired medications.
More:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2015/07/young-hondurans-head-unprecedented-anti-corruption-movement/