Honduras stays in the hunt for World Cup with 1-1 tie in Jamaica

By MARCO CACERES

Notes: Last year, during the Group D round, Jamaica beat Honduras 3-1 on July 23, thoroughly dominating play.  Honduras won the rematch at home on October 8th by a very close 1-0 on a late goal (at 90 minutes) by Danilo Turcios.

CULTURAL EVENTS  

MUSEUMS & GARDENS

TEGUCIGALPA 

MUSEO DE HISTORIA REPUBLICANA

The Museum of Republican History is located at the Villa Roy building in Tegucigalpa's Barrio Buenos Aries.  It is open 8:30 to 3:30, Tuesdays through Sundays and features portraits, paraphernalia, and other interesting items from past presidents.  Admission is Lps. 20 for non-resident foreigners and Lps. 10 for Hondurans and Central Americans.  For more information, call 222-3470 or 222-1468. 

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUM

The Central Bank of Honduras located at the Comayaguela annex building is open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.  It has a permanent coin and painting exhibit.  For special presentations, call the Emision y Tesoreria department at 237-2270 (-78), ext. 2117 (-2120). [CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.] 

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

The Galeria Nacional de Arte features rock art, pre-Columbian ceramics, colonial paintings, religious art and a wide selection of 20th century Honduran painters.  The gallery is located at the Plaza de la Merced in downtown Tegucigalpa.  It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10-2 p.m.  Admission is Lps. 10 for adults, Lps. 5 for senior citizens, Lps. 3 for students and Lps. 1 for children accompanied by adults. 

IGUANA FARM

The Biosfera Ecocentro Iguana Farm in Colonia La Joya invites the public to come and learn everything about iguanas.  Admission is Lps. 5 for adults, Lps. 3 for children.  The facility is open every day (except Wednesday) from 9 to 5.  For more information, call 230-6346.

COMAYAGUA, COMAYAGUA 

COMAYAGUA MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Located in the city of Comayagua, two hours north of Tegucigalpa, the Comayagua Museum of Archaeology is in the building that served as the seat of government in the 19th century.  Exhibits include prehistoric fossils, cave art, ceramics, and objects used by indigenous cultures during the pre-Colombian era.  The museum, which also has a small library, is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

COMAYAGUA RELIGIOUS MUSEUM

Located in the Casa Cural in front of Comayagua's cathedral, this museum features religious paintings and objects dating back to the 16th century.  Hours are 8-12 and 2-4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.  For more information, contact Leonardo Letona at 772-0348.

LA PAZ, LA PAZ 

LA PAZ HOUSE OF CULTURE

The La Paz Casa de la Cultura is located in downtown La Paz.  It features an attractive exhibit of the Lenca handicrafts and culture.  It is open Mondays through Sundays.

SAN PEDRO SULA, CORTES 

SPS MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND HISTORY

The Museo de Antropologia e Historia de San Pedro Sula features exhibits on the development of Sula Valley, from 1500 B.C. to the middle of this century.  The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.  Admission is Lps. 10 for adults, Lps. 5 for students and children under 12, and Lps. 2 for senior citizens.  For more information, call 557-1496/557-1798 or fax 557-1874. 

MUSEUM OF NATURE OF SAN PEDRO SULA

Sponsored and managed by the Fundacion Ecologista H.R. Pastor Fasquelle, this new museum was inaugurated last December in its current location at the Biocentro on 3 Avenida and 9 Calle Noroeste.  It has 24 exhibits on the environment, natural resources and biology of Honduras.  Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.  Admission is Lps 5 for students from public schools and Lps. 10.00 for everyone else.

YUSCARAN, EL PARAISO 

YUSCARAN HOUSE OF CULTURE

Yuscaran's Casa de la Cultura is located at the former Casa Fortin in downtown Yuscaran, El Paraiso department, just 45 km from Tegucigalpa on the road to Danli.  It is open Mondays through Saturdays.

OLANCHO 

PECH CULTURAL CENTER

The Pech have built a small house in El Carbon, Olancho to display their modern handicrafts.  An exhibit of archaeological finds in the area is planned.  You can ask to see the collection and/or get a tour of a Post Classic era fortified site.  The Pech Cultural Center also offers medicinal plant tours, nature hikes, Pech dinners, etc.  There is no admission fee to the cultural center.  Hours: If you ask, they will open it.

COPAN 

COPAN ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Located in the village of Copan Ruinas, Copan department, the museum exhibits a splendid assortment of Mayan pieces that have been found in the Copan Ruins Archaeological Park just 1 km away.  

LA PUENTE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Featuring a sizeable collection of Mayan handicrafts and photographs as well as a room with Japanese antique ceramics, this museum is located at the El Puente Archaeological Site, about an hour's drive from Copan Ruinas. 

MAYAN SEPULTURAS MUSEUM

Inaugurated in 1996, this is the premier Mayan museum in the Mundo Maya, featuring the finest examples of Copan's tombs, sculptures and architecture.  Located at the Copan Ruins Archaeological Park, the museum is open Monday through Sunday.

TELA, ATLANTIDA 

LANCETILLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

Located 2 kilometers from Tela on the Atlantic coast highway, the gardens feature one of the largest collections of tropical and subtropical plants, shrubs and trees in all Latin America.  It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mondays through Sundays.  There is an admission charge.

LA CEIBA, ATLANTIDA 

TROPICAL BUTTERFLY FARM

The Tropical Butterfly Farm & Gardens of La Ceiba is open to the public Wednesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The farm is located at The Lodge at Pico Bonito in the village of El Pino, about 25 minutes west of La Ceiba.  Admission is Lps. 30 for adults, Lps. 15 for children and $6 for international visitors. 

BUTTERFLY AND INSECT MUSEUM

Thousands of butterflies and insects from Honduras and 18 other countries are on display in La Ceiba' private Butterfly and Insect Museum.  It is located in Colonia El Sauce, 2nd etapa, casa G-12.  Visiting hours are 8-12 and 2-5, Monday through Saturday.  The museum is closed Wednesday afternoon.  Fees are Lps. 15 for adults and Lps. 10 for students.  Tel. 442-2874, e-mail: rlehman@ns.gbm.hn

TRUJILLO 

TRUJILLO RUFINO GALAN MUSEUM

A private museum which has a memorabilia section, old chairs, anchors, silverware, beds of famous people locally.  There is an industrial archaeology section on how lights, axes, stoves, sewing machines, typewriters have changed over time.  They have a good collection of Garifuna handicrafts and the best collection of NE Honduras archaeological pieces -- all unmarked.  A written guide to the museum is available at the Trujillo Tourism Office in English and Spanish.  The museum is open 8 to 4, closing for lunch.  Adults Lps. 20, children Lps. 10.  Located on Calle 18 de Mayo, next to the Crystales River and the famous "piscina" or pool, about a 15-minute walk out of town.

ROATAN, THE BAY ISLANDS 

CARAMBOLA BOTANICAL GARDENS

The private Carambola Botanical Gardens and Nature Trails is located in Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands.  A wide variety of exotic plants is featured here, including "Roatan's most extensive orchid collection."  It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information, call 445-1117 and ask for Bill or Irma Brady. 

BAY ISLANDS MUSEUM

A private museum at Anthony's Key Resort, Sandy Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, it mostly includes archaeological pieces, but there is a small section on the modern Bay Islanders.  Museum admission is included in the cost of the dolphin show at Anthony Key's Institute of Marine Sciences.  Small buses or taxis will take you to Sandy Bay from most Roatan towns.

The Maya Calendar is a public service for our readers.  If you would like to announce an event taking place in Honduras, please send the information to: Calendar Editor, Honduras This Week, Fax 232-2300, e-mail: hontweek@hondutel.hn

Through the eyes of diplomats
U.S. - Honduran diplomatic correspondence 

By RAMÓN ROSA IZAGUIRRE   

This column aims to bring to life Honduran history as reported by U.S. Diplomats assigned to Honduras during the last two centuries.

In this series, reports from the Military Intelligence Division (MID) during the period from 1918 to 1941 are highlighted.

It is often said that history repeats itself.  This week's article refers to a border dispute between Honduras and Nicaragua.  In many ways this dispute is similar to the current tensions between these two neighboring countries. 

__________ 

Threat of War over Postal Stamp 

CONFIDENTIAL

Report No. 4,006Date:  Sept. 9, 1937 

HONDURAS-NICARAGUA

Subject:Foreign Affairs - Status of Relations

Postage Stamp Issue Causes Flare-Up of Boundary Dispute 

In 1935 Honduras, in issuing a series of new air mail stamps, included one value, showing a map of Honduras and including therein some of the territory in dispute with Nicaragua.  Nicaragua, about two months ago, issued a new series of airmail stamps, showing a map of Nicaragua, and which, in the section in dispute with Honduras, showed the legend "territorios en litigio" (territory in dispute).

Although Nicaragua never protested the issue of the Honduran stamp, the Nicaraguan stamp, upon reaching Honduras on the mails, caused a storm of protest.  As a result thereof, a diplomatic protest was made to the Nicaraguan government, requesting withdrawal of the stamp.  No attempt will be made here to go into all the minor details of what, at its best, should have turned into an insignificant squabble.  Suffice it to state that for the past months threats, accusations and recriminations have been flying back and forth between the capitals of both countries, with the result that relations between both countries have become quite strained, so much so that there has been open talk of war.

The Honduran Government issued instructions to its postal authorities that all mail bearing the loathed Nicaraguan stamp be returned to its senders instead of being delivered to addressee.  Nicaragua reciprocated by issuing similar instructions covering all mail bearing the Honduran map stamp.  This was followed by a particularly vituperative "mud-slinging" campaign by broadcast stations in both capitals.  It is understood that language used by the Tegucigalpa station was particularly offensive, involving the President of Nicaragua, and causing the latter to call a special session of Congress.

Heated passion has gotten the better of sound judgement, because the latter would question either country's ability to wage a war on the other.  As far as this office has been able to judge at a distance, Honduras appears to have assumed a decided role as aggressor.  It is stated that Honduras actually concentrated troops near the frontier and it is known that the Minister of War of Honduras engaged in an inspection flight over the frontier region, landed at San Marcos de Colon, conferred with the local commander and inspected the garrison.

The question naturally arises whether there might not be some ulterior motives behind these threats of war.  Although it is true that in the past postage stamps, depicting maps have been the cause of diplomatic incidents - as, for instance between England and Venezuela and England and Argentina - but in this instance the Honduran stamp was in use for over two years before its propriety was ever questioned.  For this reason, this office believes that any of the following three causes may or may not be the principal one in the present dispute, the question of the stamps having merely been forced to the foreground in order to throw a cloak over the basic issue. 

1.   Both Nicaragua and Honduras are at present ruled by semi-dictators who find themselves confronted by an empty treasury and greatly decreasing revenues ...  There is a possibility that all this talk of war may be nothing but an effort on the part of both governments to work the people up to a point of frenzy where forced internal loans as well as other drastic measures may lose much of their sting.

2.   For some time past, there have been rumors of a secret alliance between Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.  In view of the fact that Honduras has assumed an aggressive role, it is possible that such was done at the instigation of General Ubico, President of Guatemala ... who ... might avail himself of the opportunity to step in between the two countries, and become the "savior of Central America."

3.   From a reliable source in Honduras the information has been received that the entire situation there is regarded as little more than a bluff on the part of Nicaragua in an attempt to force Honduras ... into a new commercial treaty with Nicaragua.

Although it is not believed that war between the two countries will result ... if war were to result, it is almost certain that before long Salvador and Guatemala would also be involved.  Neither country [Honduras and Nicaragua], economically, is in a position to wage war upon the other. 

J. B. Pate
Lt. Col., Inf.,
Military Attache 

(Readers' comments and requests are welcome, ramon­_rosa@yahoo.com)

Through the eyes of diplomats
U.S. - Honduran diplomatic correspondence 

By RAMÓN ROSA IZAGUIRRE   

This column aims to bring to life Honduran history as reported by U.S. Diplomats assigned to Honduras during the last two centuries.

In this series, reports from the Military Intelligence Division (MID) during the period from 1918 to 1941 are highlighted.  The last few columns have addressed issues related to World War I.  This week's article, the final one relating to World War I, presents an analysis of the commercial situation in Honduras after World War I.

__________ 

Post War Trade Conditions in Honduras  

AMERICAN LEGATION
Office of the Military AttacheApril 7, 1919

From: Military Attache at Tegucigalpa, Honduras

To: Chief, Military Intelligence Division, General Staff, Washington, D.C.

Subject: Trade Conditions, etc. in Central American countries

What are the present shipping conditions in Central America?

In Puerto Cortes and vicinity shipping conditions have been bad partly due to the lack of vessels and largely due to shipping conditions due to the war.  Merchants complain of non-arrival of goods from the United States.  There seems to be less complaint of shipping conditions in the district of La Ceiba. 

Are British getting pre-war trade?

Since the entrance of the United States into the war, naturally practically all shipping has been with the United States, and importations and exportations still depend on American shipping to be moved.  It is reported from Puerto Cortes that the British are hoping to regain pre-war trade, but no active steps are yet noted.  In Tegucigalpa, Joseph Walter, the British Vice-Consul, has boasted that as soon as peace is declared British firms will "bust us to pieces."  It is also reported that he has advised his customers (he is a commission merchant representing Parmelee and Company) that prices would be lower and English goods could be purchased by them at prices which would compete favorably with those of goods from the United States.  I am informed that England will get much of the trade now held by us, because it is thought that the price of labor in England will be less, while labor in the United States has been paid high prices during the war, and it would be natural to assume they would not be reduced, and as a consequence prices of English goods would be less.  It is certain that Walter is now laying plans to bring in English goods for his customers wherever possible, and is so securing the representation of English business houses.

What is the attitude of Central American countries towards the Peace Conference?

As a general proposition it may be stated that the great interest of the peoples of Central America in the Peace Conference lies in the results which it is hoped the signing of peace will have on commercial matters.

To what extent are the Japanese and British getting control of former German business?

On the Atlantic Coast of Honduras the Japanese are reported to be commercially unknown, and it is said that there are no indications to show that either is getting German business.

Most of the former German trade is now in the hands of the United States, according to reliable information, and most of the larger stores throughout Central American including many on the Blacklist are stocked with goods from the United States.  It has been stated that so far as Honduras is concerned, unless steps are taken to prevent it, a large percentage of the commerce will go back to the Germans.

Douglas Macduff
Captain Inf., U.S.A.
Military Attache to Central America

Heartbreak City: USA over Honduras 2-1 

By MARCO CACERES

Special to Honduras This Week 

After the 3-1 win against Chile on March 21, I truly believed Honduras could take the United States on its home turf.  Very sadly, this was not to be.  Playing before an estimated 46,000 people at the 42,000-seat "Olimpico Metropolitano" stadium in San Pedro Sula, the United States beat Honduras 2-1 on a 22-yard free kick by Clint Mathis at the 87th minute of play in both teams second match in the final round of World Cup qualifiers.

The United States, which was missing four of its starters, simply controlled the middle of the field better, preventing Honduran playmakers Amado "El Lobo" Guevara and Christian Santamaria from creating scoring opportunities for forwards Carlos Pavon and Milton "Tyson" Nunez.  U.S. midfielders Chris Armas and Tony Sanneh just gave them headaches.

The first goal of the game was a deflected 35-yard shot from the U.S. forward Ernie Stewart (at the 33rd minute).  Julio Cesar "Rambo" de Leon tied it up with a powerful kick from 32 yards out in the second half.  Then there was the Mathis' goal.

Although this was indeed a heartbreaker for Honduras, it should be pointed out that we are only commencing the final qualifying round for the 2002 World Cup, which will be played in Japan and South Korea.  The are six teams in the so-called "hexagonal" for the region of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean known as CONCACAF.  These include Honduras, the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.  Each team is scheduled to play 10 games (two games against each team), of which each has thus far played only two.  There remain eight series of games left, with 24 points up for grabs.

So Honduras now has its work cut out for it, and it will no doubt feel vastly more pressure to win, particularly against traditionally favored Mexico and the United States.  But the national team or "la seleccion" still has control over its own destiny.

In the current hexagonal standings, the United States (2-0-0) leads with 6 points, followed by Costa Rica (1-1-0) with 4, then Mexico (1-0-1) and Jamaica (1-0-1) with 3 apiece, Honduras (0-1-1) with 1, and Trinidad and Tobago (0-0-2) with 0.

The country's first hexagonal match was on Feb. 28, Honduras tied Costa Rica 2-2 away at San Jose's Ricardo Saprissa stadium.  The third series of matches will take place on April 24-25.

Note: The previous time Honduras met the United States in a World Cup classification match was in 1965.  That year, Honduras tied the U.S. 1-1 and lost a second game to the U.S. 1-0.  That same year, Honduras lost to Mexico 1-0 and 3-0, missing the opportunity to go on to the World Cup in England in 1966.