Text: Francisco Collazo
Translation: Julie Schwietert Collazo
[vease abajo para la version en espanol]
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Photo of Tegucigalpa by Fellowship of the Rich

Latin America has a long history of military coups, and Honduras is also a Latin American country.

To understand the events that recently occurred in Tegucigalpa, one must understand the history of Latin America, a history that shaped and made possible this seizure of power by force and the establishment of a military government. That history is easier to understand if we take a close look at how power is distributed in an agrarian, almost feudal, society in this region of Central America.

Spain’s conquests in the Americas was an epoch of genocide and mass brutality. In addition, the social, economic, and labor systems the Spanish set up in the Americas produced a mix of Europeans, Blacks, and natives (or indigenous people), which, in turn, led to the establishment of strict ethnic and social hierarchies that would shape social organization for the rest of the colonial period and even until the present day.

Photo by Lon&Queta

Honduras’s independence, won in 1821, was important; however, the country would continue spending many more years struggling to establish itself as a new nation and nurturing unity in Central America. The invasion of Central America by William Walker and his soldiers was a move to try to seize the region as an American colony. Walker and his forces were booted out of Nicaragua in 1857, but in 1860 the unit invaded Honduras, where they were finally defeated and executed by firing squad.

Following the wars of independence with Spain, Honduras was divided into two groups: one that maintained the status quo of the country’s social and political norms that had been established during the colonial period, and the other that expressed a desire to make a clean, complete break with that period and all it represented. Although Honduras has had multiple political parties since that time, they have all adhered, more or less, to one or other of these ideologies.

Significant political, economic, and social problems exist in Honduras, which reactionaries characterize as stemming from a lack of order and control; historically, the dominant classes have called upon the armed forces to exert their authority and establish “normality.” But perhaps it’s this “order” and “normality” that have been the underlying problems in Honduras and in all of Latin America for the past 500 years, for they have led to the use of brutal force, violence, and repression. In Honduras, the memory of Batallion 316, a secret paramilitary group in charge of physically eliminating political opposition and dissident voices during the government of General Policarpo Paz Garcia, is still very much alive.

Latin American courts have traditionally played a passive role in these dramas, though they are typically allied with the dominant classes. In fact, the language of the law is often used to do away with the people’s rights. They’re not courts that must or even wish to apply a strict interpretation of the nation’s constitution to the legal business of the nation. There’s not a tradition of democracy nor a respect for rights. It’s the point of the pistol that talks. We saw that in Chile in 1973 and again in Venezuela not so long ago. Of the 30 countries that comprise Latin America, at least 25 have gone through a period of dictatorship. And when a civil politician is elected as president, he is often as corrupt and violent as the military dictatorships; Alberto Fujimori of Peru, Joaquin Balaguer of the Dominican Republic, and Juan Maria Bordaberry of Uruguay are just a few examples.

Photo by Lon&Queta

The government of deposed president José Manuel Zelaya, then, is marked by these historical burdens in a region that has been overwhelmingly poor, under-educated, and exploited for centuries. We should remember, after all, that Spain didn’t come to the Americas to establish schools and universities or to free people. President Zelaya is simply the latest victim of an entrenched violence that is both physical and psychological in Latin America, a violence which is often justified with a patriotic fervor and in the name of “liberty,” individual rights, equality and peace.

In Honduras, the oligarchy considers itself to be the absolute, uncontested bearer of truth and justice. They invest themselves with the right to take an elected President out of his home by force, dressed only in his pajamas, and then try to manipulate the masses through radio and TV, where they lay out emotional, partisan rationales to assert that the military coup was indeed justified.

Not too long ago, the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, all but forced the City Council to accept his proposal to extend the city’s term limits law so he could serve a third term. It was a controversial power grab, but New Yorkers didn’t call upon the National Guard or military general to solve this political problem. Why? Well, although we’re comparing two distinct societies–one that historically has not had military coups and is far from having one–the comparison raises the question about the role that the institutions of law play in situations like these. At present, we don’t know exactly what the position of the Honduran court is. So far, we’ve only been exposed to reactionary opinions that reflect emotions and personal interests of a very specific segment of the Honduran population. Where are the courts? Where are the best minds of Honduras?

The wholesale robbery of liberties, the practice of slavery, and the tendency toward looting have all characterized the foundation of our nations in Latin America. More than 500 years after the arrival of the Spanish, the fruits of conquest are still being harvested.

It’s impossible to explain what’s going on in Honduras without taking time to examine the past. State-sponsored terror is latent and is by no means passe. It’s impossible to overlook the historical relations between the Garifunas (Honduran descendants of slaves and freedmen who came to Honduras from the British Caribbean), the “Turcos” (the Christian Arab immigrants who came to the Americas fleeing Muslim persecution during the Ottoman era), who control many businesses in Honduras, and the indigenous groups, who lost almost all of their lands.

If Hondurans lack access to health care, pensions, adequate education, and social mobility, we must acknowledge that the situation is not one borne solely out of today’s realities, but the result of hundreds of years of unfair policies. If we call servants “domestic workers” and still give orphaned children to rich families so their children will have company, this isn’t a contemporary phenomenon either; it has historical roots.

The military junta installed Roberto Micheletti as president and challenges any attempt to restore Zelaya to power. From the Rio Grande to Patagonia this story plays itself out again and again. Today it’s Honduras. Who will it be tomorrow?

[To see a photo essay of protests in Honduras following the coup, please click here. And to learn more about what a coup is, exactly, check out this article.

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No es extraño en la americalatina los golpes de estado y Honduras es tambien un pais de la americalatina.

Photo by rbreve

Para entender los sucesos recientes en Tegucigalpa hay que entender la historia que determina y hace posible la toma del poder por la fuerza y el establecimiento de gobiernos militares. La razon es simple si miramos de cerca como se ditribuye el poder en una sociedad agraria y casi feudal de esta region de Centro America.

La conquista de España en las Americas fue un episodio de genocidio y de brutalidad masiva. Esta produjo ademas una mezcla de europeos, negros, y nativos o indigenas como aqui se le llama que trajo como consecuensias jerarquias etnicas y sociales, dejando establecida asi la linea a seguir por esta nacion por el resto de sus dias hasta el presente.

La independencia de 1821 trajo por si mismo mucho mas anos de lucha para la nueva nacion Hondureña para tratar de mantener la union en la America Central. La invasion a Centro America por parte de William Walker y sus soldados de fortuna trataron de convertir a esa region en una colonia americana. Estos fueron sacados de Nicaragua en 1857 pero en 1860 invadieron a Honduras donde finalmente fue derrotado y puesto frente al peloton de fusilamiento.

Despues de las guerras de independencia de España la nacion quedo dividida en dos grupos, el uno que sigue la linea antes existente en el pais durante la colonia y el otro que desea romper con todo lo del pasado. Aunque a traves de su historia Honduras ha contado con mas de un partido dentro de las dos divisiones, todos ellos siguen una u otra linea ideologica.

Photo: venstresida

Existen enormes problemas politicos, economicos, y sociales en Honduras que apelan a la derecha reaccionaria como falta de orden y descontrol que historicamente las clases dominantes han llamado a las fuerzas armadas para re-establecer el orden y la normalidad. Y que quizas esta misma orden y normalidad ha sido el problema de los ultimos 500 anos en Honduras y en toda la americalatina. Fuerza, violencia y represion son los resultados de esta crisis. Todavia se respira en Honduras los recuerdos de Batallon 316, grupo secreto de paramilitares encargado de eliminar fisicamente a los opositores politicos y a voces desidentes durante el gobierno del General Policarpo Paz Garcia.

Photo by Lon&Queta

Las cortes en americalatina juegan un papel pasivo de aliado a la clase historicamente dominante. De hecho muchas veces utiliza su lenguaje para despojarles los derechos a la mayoria y mantener el status quo. No es una corte que tiene y quiere aplicar con firmeza las leyes constitucionales de su nacion. No hay una tradicion democratica, ni respeto por el derecho ajeno. Es a punta de pistola que se habla. Esta situacion se vivio en Chile en 1973 y en Venezuela hasta hace muy poco. De los 30 paises que conforman latinoamerica, al menos 25 ha vivido con dictadura en un momento u otro. Y cuando elijen a un president civil es muchas veces tan corrupto y violento como los militares: Alberto Fujimori (Peru), Joaquin Balaguer (Republica Dominicana), y Juan Maria Bordaberry (Uruguay), para mencionar unos pocos.

El gobierno de José Manuel Zelaya esta recojiendo los escombros historico de una America pobre, analfabeta, y explotada por siglos. Despues de todo debemos recordarnos que España no llego a las Americas para fundar escuelas, universidades y hacer a los hombres libres. Presidente Zelaya esta siendo testigo de una violencia engranada en lo mas profundo de americalatina, sin pudor y justificada por la reaccion con fervor patriotico y en nombre de la libertad, el derecho individual ,la igualdad y la paz.

En Honduras las clases oligarcas se sienten los duenos absolutos de la verdad y la justicia. Tienen el derecho de sacar an piyamas al nuevo presidente electo y ofrecen por la radio y la television comunicados de prensa que ponen en su vision partidaria y emocional las razones y causa para este golpe militar bien justificados.

En hechos reciente el el mayor de la ciudad de Nueva York Michael Bloomberg trabajo durante su mandato para extender su termino por mas tiempo. Sin embargo los nuevayorkinos no emplearon la Guardia Nacional ni sus generales para solucionar este cambio politico. Por qué? Bueno, aunque estamos hablando y comparando dos sociedades distintas– una que historicamente no ha tenido golpes militares y esta muy lejos de producir uno– refleja cual es el papel historico que juega en la sociedad sus instituciones legales en todo esto. Hasta el momento no hemos sabido cual es la posicion de la corte hondureña que regula y controla las funciones legales del gobierno en el dia a dia. Solo hemos estado expuestos a reacciones y opiniones que van unidos a sentimientos y a intereses personales. Donde estan las cortes? Donde estan las mejores mentes de Honduras?

Robo masivo de libertades, esclavitud, y saqueo han sido los elementos que nuestras naciones se fundaron. A mas de 500 años de la llegada de los españoles todavia se esta recojiendo el fruto de esta conquista. Todo esto en la americalatina refleja el dicho “De tal palo tal astilla”.

Photo of Hondurans by junebug6467

Es imposible explicar los hechos de la Honduras de hoy sin detenerme en el pasado porque me dejaria desnudo y sin palabras. El terror del estado está latente y de ninguna manera moribundo. Sería imposible explicar Honduras sin detenerme en la historia de las relaciones entre Garífunas (personas decendientes de negros esclavos y de libertos venidos a Honduras del caribe Britanico), Turcos (nombre que se le dio a los inmigrantes arabes de religion cristiana perseguidos por los Musulmanes durante el reinado Otoman) y que controlan una gran parte de los negocios en Honduras e indigenas que perdieron casi todas sus tierras.

Si en Honduras las personas andan sin asceso a la salud, beneficios de retiros, derecho a educacion y no es posible la mobilidad social, puedo decir con toda honestidad que no ha sido un invento de un dia. Si a las sirvientas les llaman hoy “trabajadoras domesticas” y todavia se le regalan niños huerfanos a los ricos para que le sirvan de entretenimientos a sus hijos para que tengan compañia, tampoco ha sido invento de un dia.

Photo by Nathan T. Baker

La junta militar establece a Roberto Micheletti como presidente y desafia con sus declaraciones cualquier intento de instalar al presidente constitucional electo Jose Manuel Zelaya. Desde el Rio Bravo hasta La Patagonia esta historia se repite una y otra vez, hoy es Honduras y mañana quien será?

Text: Julie Schwietert Collazo
Photos: Francisco Collazo
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Perhaps it wasn’t coincidence that I spent the past two summers away from New York City.

I’d become disenchanted with summer in the city, cranky with crowds and disgusted by the fetid smell of the subway between June and August. Even the summer activities I’d once loved here and waited all year to enjoy–the free movies, concerts, and performances–had lost their appeal.

Summer’s been slow to arrive this year; it seems like it just showed up this week. For this reason, it’s been easier to be here, and at seven months pregnant, it’s probably not smart to stray too far from home.

Fortunately, this summer also offers a few new activities and escapes, both in the city and out. We’ll be featuring several of them on Collazo Projects over the next few weeks, outlining an itinerary for those of you who live in or near the city, and posting photos and reviews of the experiences for those of you who can only enjoy them from afar. Today we bring you the first one in our series: the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.

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What It Is:
The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is one of the country’s many summer Shakespeare events. Held outside at the Boscobel estate in Garrison, New York, the festival dates back to 1987. The 2009 season kicked off on June 16 and runs through September 6, with shows offered every day except Monday. This year’s productions include “Pericles,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” and “The Complete Works of Shakespeare {Abridged}.” The full calendar can be found here.

Why You’ll Enjoy It:
If the weather’s right, the outdoor setting at Boscobel allows for enjoyment of much more than the play itself. Get to the town of Cold Spring early and wander up Main Street, which is lined with antique shops and boutiques.

If you’re coming up after work, be sure to get to Boscobel by 6 PM at the latest– you’ll have just enough time to walk around the grounds of the estate. Be sure to bring your camera- Boscobel is perched high on a hill overlooking the Hudson River.

If you can get there earlier, so much the better. Boscobel’s grounds open at 5 PM. You’ll have time to spread a picnic blanket on the soft grass and relax before show time.

Festival staff start requesting picnic clean-up around 6:30 PM. “Curtain” time is at 7.

The show is outdoors under a tent; the setting is intimate. After adjusting yourself to the outdoor acoustics, you’ll enjoy the spirited acting of the company, many of whose members are making their second, third, or fourth festival appearance. We saw “Much Ado About Nothing,” which was packed with laughs.

How to Go:
You could drive–a good option if you’re going up on the weekend and want to do some more leisurely exploring of the Hudson Valley region. It’s a mostly straight shot up Route 9.

You’d be better off, though, taking Metro North’s Hudson Line train from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan to the Cold Spring depot just a couple miles away from Boscobel. You won’t be sitting in bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour; instead, snag a window seat and enjoy the scenery as the train heads north with river views the whole way.

The ride is about 70 minutes. Be sure you choose a train to Poughkeepsie that makes a stop in Cold Spring!

If you take the train, make an advance reservation for the Festival’s shuttle bus (”Bard Bus”) service, which will pick you up at the depot, take you to Boscobel, and bring you back again afterward.

You can make a Bard Bus reservation by calling 845-265-9575. The cost per person is $6.00. When you exit the Metro North train, continue walking down the platform in the same direction the train is heading. At the far end of the platform, you’ll exit at the depot, which is on the corner of Depot and Main Streets. The shuttle will pick you up right there, and is clearly identifiable.

Travel tip: If you do take Metro North, be aware that peak hour ticket prices differ from off-peak prices. PM peak prices going north go into effect on the 4:01 train; if you catch the 3:50 train, your ticket will be a few dollars cheaper. Go ahead and buy a round trip ticket to avoid any problems on your return journey.

What to Know:

If you don’t want to pack your own picnic, the Festival offers a concession stand with pre-made wraps (featuring, among others, the Twelfth Night Turkey and Hamlet Ham and Cheese), chips, cookies, popcorn, ice cream, beer, wine, water, and soda. If you plan ahead, you can also order a gourmet picnic, choosing among these six options: sliced chicken breast, pear, blue cheese and walnut salad; vegetarian salad trio, assorted cheeses with prosciutto, fresh fruit, hummus, and pita chips; grilled tandoori chicken breast served with Asian noodles and cole slaw; Thai beef salad with sesame noodles; or roasted salmon with dill sauce and a summer salad. If you prefer this option visit the Festival’s website to pre-order your picnic, which can be picked up at the concession stand upon your arrival.

You can photograph and video the grounds, but no photography or video is allowed during the show.

Tickets can be ordered online or by calling the box office at 845-265-9575. Prices range from $30-$46, depending on the day of the show. Discounts are offered to seniors and students; children 12 and under get a half-price ticket any night except Saturday. No children under 5 are admitted to performances, however. If you’re planning to take the family, you might want to visit on July 7, 14, or 22, when the Festival offers a family night special: $80 for a family of four.

Posted in New York, Travel & Travel Tips | 2 Comments »

Museo de Chocolate de La Habana/Havana’s Chocolate Museum

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Text: Martin Pei de la Paz
Photos: Brayan Collazo; Indrani Soemardjan
Translated by: Julie Schwietert Collazo
[vease abajo para la version en espanol]
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Every day, millions of people around the world consume chocolate in some form. Chocolate can be found in candies, drinks, and toiletries; it’s even been used in clothing designs and in the manufacture of exotic objects. If you’re a chocolate aficcionado and you happen to be in Havana, be sure to stop by the Chocolate Museum.

With a name like “Chocolate Museum,” perhaps you imagine a museum like any other, full of items with historical value, rare objects, antiques, precious artifcats, and an extensive collection of books, photos, and documents on display.

This museum isn’t exactly like that. This museum is for the display of the ordinary and the common, not just from Cuba, but also from Spain, Belgium, and Mexico… but what is true is that all the items in this “collection” are somehow related to the culture of cacao and chocolate.

Master chocolate makers from Belgium came to Havana to train an elite group in artisanal chocolate-making so they could open a store in Havana where chocolate truffles, bon bons, and bars would be made in front of visitors.

Bears and tobacco leaves are some of the whimsical figures this new generation of Cuban chocolate artists is turning out. The chocolates also run the gamut with respect to the percentage of cacao and sugar each piece contains; there’s bitter, dark, milk, and white chocolate on display here.

The museum is climatized and well furnished, offering several tables from which guests can enjoy the museum’s collection and watch the chocolate makers at work.

And remember– the chocolate museum isn’t really a museum at all, but a cafe where you can enjoy this delicious aphrodisiac hot or cold.

Besides the candies, the Chocolate Museum has an extensive variety of tempting drinks, like the Aztec hot chocolate, mixed with black pepper and nutmeg. It really is a drink for the gods.

Ironically, the museum is located on “Bitter Street” (Calle Amargura), which gives it a special touch! It’s open to the public each day from 10 AM until 7:30 PM. Stop by for a visit– just be careful to keep your temptation and weight under control!

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Millones de personas en el mundo consumen a diario chocolate o los derivados de el mismo. Este se encuentra en golosina, bebidas, lociones, e inclusive se ha utilizado para la construccion de piezas de vestir y en objetos exoticos. Si es usted uno de estos consumidores que esta en La Habana con confianza acérquese y visitelo.

Al escuchar Museo de Chocolate quizas su mente asocie e imagine un museo como cualquier otro, lleno de piezas de gran valor historico, objetos raros, colecciones antiguas y preciosas con extensa coleccion de libros, fotos, y documentos. Bueno, no exactamente. El museo del cual les hablo a decir verdad tiene piezas ordinarias y comunes, no solo de Cuba, sino tambien España, Bélgica y Mexico. Todos relacionados con la cultura del cacao y del chocolate.

Maestros chocolateros Belgas con mucha experiencia en el tema llegaron a La Habana para entrenar y formar un grupo de elite que tendría la tarea de encaminarse en el arte de la chocolatería y abrir en La Habana un lugar donde elaborar frente al cliente, bombones y tabletas de una manera diferente, artística y artesanal.

Desde un oso a un tabaco se mueven las caprichosas figuras que nos presentan los artistas de nueva generación de chocolateros cubanos. No solo se diferencian de la forma sino de la cantidad de cacao y azúcar en cada mezcla, dando lugar a los amargos, oscuros, con leche y blanco.

Climatizado y bien amueblado cuenta el museo con varias mesas desde donde se puede apreciar la colección del museo y a la vez a los chocolateros trabajando. De hecho el museo de chocolate no es un museo, sino una cafeteria donde se puede consumir este delicioso afrodiciaco frio o caliente.

Una gama de ofertas de bebidas que exhibe el museo es extensa y tentadora, como la taza de chocolate azteca mezclada con pimienta y nuez moscada es deleite para dioses para decir verdad.

Ironicamente este museo se encuentra hubicado en la calle “Amargura” la cual le da un toque especial! El mismo abre sus puertas al publico todos los días de 10:00 am a 7:30 pm. Y mi unica sugerencia es cuidado con las tentaciones y su peso.

Posted in Cuba, Guest Posts, Travel & Travel Tips | 3 Comments »