Grenade explodes in Honduras under shadow of political crisis
Saturday, November 14th, 2009While Honduras was still in the throes of a political crisis, a grenade exploded in its capital Tegucigalpa early Friday morning, without hurting anyone or causing material damages, police said Friday.
The explosion with an influence range of 25 to 35 meters was caused by a RPG-7M grenade, police spokesman Orlin Cerrato told local media.
“We think all these actions are intended to create restlessness among the people — a psychological effect, in order to obstruct the electoral process,” Cerrato explained.
Residents in Tegucigalpa’s Miraflores district heard the sound of the explosion, and some people said they saw a light plane which may have fired the grenade.
The police have not named any suspects.
Several media outlets and shopping centers have been attacked by grenades since the political crisis was ignited five months ago by a military-backed coup, in which Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was deposed and flown to Costa Rica on June 28.
Honduras is scheduled to hold presidential elections on Nov. 29. The international community has called for a restitution of Zelaya before the elections.
The de facto Honduran government has prohibited imports of a new list of products including ice creams, some dairy products and processed chicken and food for poultry and dogs, in response to ElSalvador’s refusal to recognize it as the legitimate government, local media in El Salvador’s capital reported Friday.
Craig Kelly, a senior U.S. diplomat and deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, left Honduras on Thursday without being able to help resolve the country’s political crisis.
