Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras recently
stated he has been the target of death threats since 2009.
He believes
the threats are from supporters of the country's deposed President
Manuel Zelaya.
President Zelaya was removed from office in June 2009 and was
replaced by an interim leader until elections were held.
Current
Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa was then voted into office.
Zelaya's opponents assert he was impeached by order of the Supreme
Court of Honduras for serious crimes, including treason.
His supporters
argue he was illegally expelled by the military and the high court.
Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga stated on Jan. 6 that he has been
receiving death threats from individuals who have labeled him a
“supporter of the coup.”
The cardinal then told Honduras' Channel 10
that soon after the Honduran bishops’ conference issued a statement
about the intentions of then-President Zelaya to hold a referendum to
draft a new constitution, he “had already become the target of death
threats.”
He added that the threats “have been continuous” since June 2009.
“We had all of the pertinent information,” Cardinal Maradiaga said,
“and we issued a statement which I read as president on Saturday,” the
day before Zelaya was removed from office.
SIC: CNA/INT'L