Editing Death squad (section)

===== Honduras =====
Honduras had death squads active through the 1980s, the most notorious of which was [[Battalion 3-16 (Honduras)|Battalion 3–16]]. Hundreds of people, teachers, politicians, and union bosses were assassinated by government-backed forces. Battalion 316 received substantial support and training from the United States [[Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-negroponte1a,0,1240201.story?%3Ftrack=sto-relcon |title=When a wave of torture and murder staggered a small U.S. ally, truth was a casualty. – |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=11 June 1995 |access-date=13 November 2011 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035142/http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-negroponte1a,0,1240201.story?%3Ftrack=sto-relcon |url-status=dead }}</ref> At least 19 members were [[Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation|School of the Americas]] graduates.<ref name="republic_SOA_nonstop">{{cite web |url=http://republicbroadcasting.org/?p=3299 |title=U.S. continues to train Honduran soldiers |publisher=Republic Broadcasting Network |date=21 July 2009 |access-date=3 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723181431/http://republicbroadcasting.org/?p=3299 |archive-date=23 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name="derechos_316_soa">{{cite web|last=Imerman |first=Vicky |author2=Heather Dean |title=Notorious Honduran School of the Americas Graduates |publisher=Derechos Human Rights |year=2009 |url=http://www.derechos.org/soa/hond-not.html |access-date=3 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204195846/http://www.derechos.org/soa/hond-not.html |archive-date=4 December 2008 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref> Seven members, including [[Billy Joya]], later played important roles in the administration of President [[Manuel Zelaya]] as of mid-2006.<ref name="mesoamerica_200606">{{cite web|last=Holland |first=Clifton L. |title=Honduras – Human Rights Workers Denounce Battalion 3–16 Participation in Zelaya Government |publisher=Mesoamérica Institute for Central American Studies |date=June 2006 |url=http://www.mesoamericaonline.net/MES0_ARCHIVES/Countries/Hond/HOJUN06.pdf |access-date=3 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720160941/http://www.mesoamericaonline.net/MES0_ARCHIVES/Countries/Hond/HOJUN06.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=usurped |df=dmy }}</ref> Following the [[2009 Honduran constitutional crisis|2009 coup d'état]], former Battalion 3–16 member [[Nelson Willy Mejía Mejía]] became Director-General of Immigration<ref name="NCR_NWMejiaMejia">{{cite news|last=Hodge |first=James |author2=Linda Cooper |title=U.S. continues to train Honduran soldiers |newspaper=[[National Catholic Reporter]] |date=14 July 2009 |url=http://ncronline.org/news/global/us-continues-train-honduran-soldiers |access-date=5 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801004820/http://ncronline.org/news/global/us-continues-train-honduran-soldiers |archive-date=1 August 2009 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name="cofadeh_NMWW">{{cite web| title =Comunicado| publisher =[[Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras|COFADEH]]| date =3 July 2009| url =http://www.cofadeh.org/html/noticias/golpe_estado_comunicado.html| access-date =5 August 2009| language =es| archive-date =27 February 2021| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210227065104/http://www.cofadeh.org/html/noticias/golpe_estado_comunicado.html| url-status =usurped}}</ref> and Billy Joya was ''de facto'' President [[Roberto Micheletti]]'s security advisor.<ref name="DemocNow_Zelaya">{{cite web |last=Goodman |first=Amy |title=Zelaya Speaks |publisher=[[Z Communications]] |date=31 July 2009 |url=http://www.zcommunications.org/znet/viewArticle/22175 |access-date=1 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112717/http://www.zcommunications.org/znet/viewArticle/22175 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> Another former Battalion 3–16 member, [[Napoleón Nassar Herrera]],<ref name="mesoamerica_200606"/><ref name="nizkor_nassar">{{cite web|last=Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras |author-link=Comité de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos en Honduras |title=Hnd – Solicitan al Presidente Zelaya la destitución de integrantes del Batallón 3–16 nombrados en el Ministerio del Interior |publisher=Nizkor |date=February 2007 |url=http://www.radionizkor.org/honduras/ |access-date=7 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924080706/http://www.radionizkor.org/honduras/ |archive-date=24 September 2009 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref> was high Commissioner of Police for the north-west region under Zelaya and under Micheletti, and also became a Secretary of Security spokesperson "for dialogue" under Micheletti.<ref name="elnuevo_nazar">{{cite web|last=Leiva |first=Noe |title=No se avizora el fin de la crisis hondureña |publisher=El Nuevo Herald/[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]] |date=2 August 2009 |url=http://www.elnuevoherald.com/ultimas-noticias/story/510138.html |access-date=7 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805142325/http://www.elnuevoherald.com/ultimas-noticias/story/510138.html |archive-date= 5 August 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name="mines_nassar">{{cite web|last=Mejía |first=Lilian |author2=Mauricio Pérez |author3=Carlos Girón |title=Pobladores Exigen Nueva Ley De Minería: 71 Detenidos Y 12 Heridos En Batalla Campal |publisher=MAC: Mines and Communities |date=18 July 2009 |url=http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=2064 |access-date=7 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917130401/http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=2064 |archive-date=17 September 2009 |url-status=live |language=es |df=dmy }}</ref> Zelaya claimed that Joya had reactivated the death squad, with dozens of government opponents having been murdered since the ascent of the Michiletti and Lobo governments.<ref name="DemocNow_Zelaya" />