Road Blocks in Honduras

A roadblock in Copan Source

We have had some very hectic days for the last couple of weeks in Honduras, we've had roads taken over by the people who are involved in the transport business, owners, drivers even users, at first demanding a hike in what they charge passengers or cargo in the case of cargo transport. After this they, I guess so the population would side with them, stated that they no longer wanted this hike instead they want a reduction in the taxes paid for petroleum products.

The government taxes these products with a tax that goes from 25% to 33%, and receives, depending on who you believe between $750 million to $1,500 million from it. Well the government said it couldn't reduce the tax because then the budgets they have for education and health would have to be reduced. I think that is a very dumb excuse because both of these services in Honduras are as bad as they can be and can't conceivably get worse.

Now, apparently some of the owners have reached an agreement with the government to raise the prices and as always it is the population that gets screwed. Now the reason that has always been given for this tax is that the government needs the money for building and maintenance of roads, we didn't know other budgets needed the money.

What I have noticed is that in Honduras apparently roads are paid for three times, first we get a loan from some international bank or institution, which we have to pay along with interests via taxes, then the government also has toll booths where you also pay a tax, the reason maintenance of roads, and the oil tax which is also for the same reason. You would think we have the best roads in Central America, but that is not so.

We are absolutely in no better and probably are in a worse shape than Nicaragua or Venezuela, the difference being that our government is labeled as center right and the government of those two other countries are labeled left wing, the reality is that the governments in the three countries are theft wing.

If you want an inkling of how this goes, if rioters in Nicaragua or Venezuela burn some private property it is OK because they are practically freedom fighters if rioters in Honduras do that they are gang members or common criminals.

And the international community acts accordingly, Honduras' government is given a free pass while the Venezuela and Nicaragua governments are constantly being threatened. This is really a very hypocritical thing, because if you really look at the governments of the three countries you will find that there is no difference between them, all are just greedy criminals looking after themselves.