Reoeived by Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:49:04 PM PR Newswire Honduran Government Identifies Prominent Perpetrators of Violence In Protests in Tegucigalpa This material Is distributed by Keybridge Communications LLC on behalf of the Republic of Honduras. Additional information Is available at the Department of Justlce Washington, DC NEWS PROVIDED BY Republic of Honduras -v Jan 15, 2018, 15:47 ET TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Jan. 15, 2018 /PRNewswirerSNewswire/ -- Today. the Honduran government announced that it has identified two individuals who participated in the violent protests in the capital on January 12. The Honduran government announced that it has identified two individuals who participated in the violent protesu in the capital on January i2. Honduran authorities have determined that Jos? Manuel Zelaya, a representative-elect to the National Congress from the LIBRE party and the nephew of Manuel Zelaya. the coordinator of the Libre Alliance and a former Honduran president, Wasam'ong the protesters. Authorities also identified Jo's'? Toscano Casco. a former candidate for representative from the Alianza Patriotica Hondure?a. During the protests January 12, demonstrators vandalized the Marriott Hotel. setting ?res in the lobby and breaking windows. Two days prior. defeated presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla of the Libre Alliance asked his followers to join the protests in a Twitter post Honduran President. Juan Orlando Hernandez has called for an end to the vioience and has asked the leaders of the Libra-Alliance to meet With him. In a Fac?bo?k post on his of?cial account President Hernandez called for "Salvador Nasr?alla and Manuel Zela?y?a and their follOwer's to start a sincere and high level dialogue" aimed at quelling the protests and fostering economic growth In Honduras Received by ARA Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:49:04 PM Received by Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:49:04 PM The president also said that his administration has been "working with different sectors of Honduran society to build a grand national agreement. so our nation will grow and all sectors Will bene?t." . . Domestic and international business organizations have expressed concern about the protests. in a January 12 press release. the Federation of- private Organizations of Central America. Panama and the Dominican Republic (Fedepricap) saidthat it "categorically rejects the acts of vandalism. destruction and looting arising from the demonstrations:..actions that have scared away foreign and domesticiinvestment; and occasioned a loss of work for Hondurans.? In 'a statement reported by Honduran media, EXec'u'tiV'e Director of the Tegucigalpa Chamber of commerce Rafael Medina called the protests "very regrettable? and said they haw;I negatively impacted lecai w'ork?rs. The United Nations Of?ce of the High Commissioner on Human Rights in Honduras also asked for'the violence to-en?d. In a statementialso reported by Honduran media. the agency said that "it'condemns the acts of violence as incompatible with the rightto peaceful demonstration.? Media Contact: Andrew Grafton 188779@email4pr.com (202)-471-4228 ext. 119 . SOURCE Republic of Honduras Received by Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:49:04 PM Received by Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:51 :51 PM 0 N. Hond ran President Appoints New SeCretary for Human Rights This material is distributed by Keybridge Communications LLC on behalf of the. Republic of Honduras. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice,.Washington, DC. NEWS PROVIDED BY Republic of Honduras 18:43 ET Honduras. Jan. 16. 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today. Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandezap'pointed Karla Cu'eVas as the ?rst ever Secretary for Human Rights to lead a newly created Ministry for Human Rights. The new Secretary will take of?ce on January 27. the first day of the Hernandez administration's second term. Cuevas previously served as the vice minister of human rights and justice at Honduras's Ministry of Human Rights, Justice. Governance and Decentralization. Human Rights "This new cabinet-level ministry will strengthen the entire structure of human rights protection in the country," President. Hernandez said. "The appointment security measures and strengthen protection policies for human rights defenders, journalists. social communicators and justice. operators.? . OS Received by ARA Registration Unit 0.1/16/2018 6:51:51 PM - Received by Registration Unit 01/ 16/2018 6:51:51 PM The Ministry will have a budget of 96 million lempiras -- more than $4 million -- to reinforce existing security protectionsfor human rights activists- ancl to protect all Hondurans from infringements on their human rights. President Hernandez announced the creation of the newministry last May in a speech to the Hondu ran As'soc'iatio'n of Journalists. saying that he was elevating the Of?ce of-the Undersecretary for Human Rights to a cabinet-level body. . The establishment of the Ministry for Human Rights is part of the Hernandez administration's push to strengthen domestic security and stimulate economic growth. Earlier this month, Honduran law enforcement of?cials announced that Honduras's homicide rate fell by more than '25 percent in 2017. The Honduran central bank also reported this month that the. Honduran economy grew by more than 4 percent in 2017. Media Contact: Andrew Grafton 188879?emaill+pncom ext. 119 SOURCE Republic of Honduras Received by ARA Registration Unit 01/16/2018 6:51:51 PM