Including President Trumps own family. Well speak with Minnesota Democratic Congress member keith ellison. Then to honduras, where tens thsands s protesters poured in thehe seets after the contested president iallelectio theys the counting of the votes when the incumbent was trailing opposition candidate keith calling nasralla was to stop the crackdown on protesters. In this moment im not calling on the general of the armed forces or the kernels of the armed forces because they have already failed the people. On the base calling of the armed forces to rebel against their bosses. Amy at least threree protesters have been killed so far. We will go to honduras for the latest. Finally, constitutional attorney john bonifaz on the growing movement to impeach president trtrump. Dissatisfiedabout about certain policies of the president. This is about the basic fundamental principle in this country that no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy y goodman. Senate r republicans have passea sweeping rewrite of the u. S. Tax code that will dramatically impact not only household income, but also health care, domestic spending, even oil and gas drilling. It would cut taxes by nearly 1. 5 trillion dollars with most of the cuts benefiting the richest americans, including President Trump and his own family. The bill passed the senate and the Early Morning hours saturday on a vote of 51 to 49 with every democrat voting against the bill and all republicans voting for it except for senator bob corker of tennessee. Democrats blasted Republican Leaders for only making the text of the nearly 500 page bill available a few hours before the vote. The final draft had handwritten notes scribbled in the margin. Among those condemning the bill was bernie sanders. Text of thesen. Sanders the ln passed last night gives incredibly large tax breaks to the very, very wealthy. Millions ofxes on middleclass families. It leaves 13 million more americans without Health Insurance. It raises Health Insurance premiums by 10 a year. And it raises the deficit by 1. 4 trillion. Amy it would roll back the estate tax and inheriteded weal, which currently applies to about 5000 of the wealthiest u. S. Families. According to a report, more than half of all registered lobbyists in washington, d. C. , worked on the tax bill. Republican leaders are preparing to form a conference to midi to hash out differences between the bills has by the house and senate. We will have more on the tax bill after headlines with keith ellison. President trumps former National Security adviser, general Michael Flynn, pleaded guilty friday to a single felony county of lying to the fbi about conversations he had last december with russias ambassador to the u. S. Flynns plea came as part of a deal that will see him cooperate with special counsel Robert Muellers probe into alleged russian government meddling in the 2016 election and could see flynn testify against President Trump and members of his inner circle. The deal also raises the prospect flynn may have worn a wire for the fbi or otherwise secretly recorded conversations with administration officials. Documents handed to investigators as part of the plea deal show flynn was ordered to speak with Russian AmbassadorSergey Kislyak by a very Senior Member of the president ial Transition Team cited by many news o outlets as jarered kushn, President Trumps Senior Adviser and soninlaw. Kushner reportedly ordered flynn to work with russian officials to delelay a u. N. Sesecurity col vote on a resolution condemning illegal israeli settlements in the occupied west bank. On saturday, President Trump reacted to the news as he prepared to leave the white house for fundraisers in new york. Pres. Pres. Trump what has been shown is no collusion no collusion. There has been absolutely no collusion, so o we are very hap. And frankly, last night was one of the big nights. Amy over the weekend, trump lashed out against the russia investigation in a series of tweets, writing that the fbis reputation is in tatters and repeating his claim that former fbi director james comey lied when he testified that trump asked him to call off the bureaus investigation into Michael Flynn. In another tweet, trump wrote i had to fire general flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the fbi. Legal scholars say the tweet could be used to prove that President Trump committed obstruction of justice when he fired comey as fbi director. On saturday, trumps personal lawyer john dowd claimed he was the one who drafted the tweet, saying he had made a mistake. In honduras, thousands of protesters poured into the streets sunday to denounce alleged Election Fraud and to support opposition president ial candidate Salvador Nasralla. Our vote,defending defending the rights of the people. If we do not defend our rights, then there will be no one here to defend us. Amy at least three people were been killed as Honduran Security Forces opened fire on the protests. Among the victims is 19yearold kimberly fonseca, who was shot in the head as soldiers opened fire on a blockade erected in capital tegucigalpa on friday night. The protesters charge the countrys Electoral Commission which is controlled by u. S. Backed incumbent president Juan Orlando Hernandez with rigging the vote count and delaying its announcement of the outcome of the november 26 election. Well have more on the crisis in honduras later in the broadcast. In yemen, there are conflicting accounts about the fate of former president ali abdullah saleh, with iranian media reporting g he was kililled by Houthi Rebels after an assault that blew up his residence in the capital sanaa. Salehs office in yemen is denying the reports, which came as Houthi Rebels and forces aligned with saleh fought pitched battles in the streets. The rebels had been in an Uneasy Alliance with salehs until he threw his support to the Saudiled Coalition on saturday, effefectively switchining sides. Meanwhile, an airstrike by the u. S. Backed Saudiled Coalition killed at least 12 people in the city of sadaa on sunday. This is a person who was badly wounded in the bombing. They targeted my house while there were 18 to 20 guests. The whole family was inside as well as our cattle. Evererything is gone. Theres nothing left. Amy on saturday, top u. N. N. Officials called on the Saudiled Coalition to lift its blockadede of yemens red sea ports, warning the threat of widespread famine in a matter of months is very real. In syria, warplanes struck residences in the rebelheld city of Eastern Ghouta near damascus over the weekend, killing 27 civilians and injuring dozens more. Video posted by the White HelmetsCivil Defense group appears to show the workers pulling bodies from buildings reduced to rubble, with children among the injured and d dead. In israel, tens of ththousands f people marched through tel aviv saturday calling for the Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu to step down and for an end to government corruption. A bill expected to be approved by the Israeli Knesset next week would bar police from publishing findings in two investigations into netanyahu, whos facing possible criminal charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu has been accused of trading political favors for luxury gifts, including cigars and champagne, and other crimes. Meanwhile,e, president is expecd to decidee today whether the u. Will recognize jerusalem as israel capital city and whether the u. S. Will move its embassy there from tel aviv. Trumps planned announcement comes after Senior Adviser jared kushner, his soninlaw, told the forum and washington, d. C. , that trump had not yet made a decision. Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967 and papalestinian leaderers have condemned any plans by the u. S. To recognize jerusalem as israels capital. In malta, police have arrested eight people in connectionon wih the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana galizia, who died in october when a powerful bomb planted in her car exploded near her home. Police will have 48 hours to question the suspects before either charging or releasing them. Galizia was known for her work exposing corruption, tax evasion and the organized crime. Back in the United States, more than 5000 people rallied at utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City saturday protesting President Trumps plan to open up protected federal lands to mining, logging, drilling, and other forms of extraction. Trumump is scheduled to visit uh today, where hes expected to announce hes shrinking the bears ears and grand staircaseescalante national monuments. On sunday, over 100 protesters dressed in white lay on the lawn of the utah Capitol Building and spelled out the words go home trump with their bodies. Former access h hollywood host billy bush has responded to reports that President Trump is denying the veracity of a 2005 videotape in which trump boasts about sexually assaulting women. In a New York Times oped published on sunday, bush writes President Trump is currently indulging in some revisionist history, reportedly telling allies, including at least one United States senator, that the voice on the tape is not his. This has hit a raw nerve in me. Bush writes that he believes the stories of natasha stoynoff, rachel crooks, Jessica Leeds and jill harth who say trump kissed them without consent as well as kristin andersons account ththat trump groped her genitals at a new york nightclcb inin the 1990s. In california, former republican governor and Hollywood StarArnold Schwarzenegger canceled a planned appearance at an awards dinner for California Common cause friday, amid renewed protests over his history of Sexual Harassment allegations. In 2003, the l. A. Times reported six women accused schwarzenegger of groping, harassing, or humiliating them on movie sets or in other settings over a morethan 20year period. New york citys metropolitan opera has suspended d longtime condnductor james levine over multiple sexual abuse claims. At least three men have accused levine of abusing them decades ago when they were teenagers. Walmart has stopped selling a tshirt that advocates for the lynching of journalists. The shirt, which was available in walmarts online store, read rope. Tree. Journalist. Some assembly required. The tshirt made headlines last year when a reuters photographer captured images of a man wearing it at a Donald Trump Campaign rally in minnesota two days before the election. Drug storere chain cvs saiaid sy it will Purchase Health insurer aetna in a 69 billion megamerger that could shake up the healthcare system. Analysts say the deal is likely to set off even more mergers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. And australias parliamement is putting the finishing touches on a Marriage Equality bill after a sizable majority of australians voted in favor of ending heterosexualonly marriage in na public referendum last month. Memberte opened today, of Parliament Tim wilson addressed his partner, ryan bolger, who was sittining in the chambers gallery. This debate has been a soundtrack to our relationship. We both know this issue isnt the reason we got involved in politics. Give us tax reform any day. In my first speech i do f find r bond by the ring that sits on , a day wer left hands can answer questions that we cannot ask. Theres only one thingng left to do. Bolger, will you marry me . Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. We begin todays program with President Trumps tax bill. Just before 2 00 a. M. On saturday morning, republicans passed a nearly 500page bill with dramatic impacts on not only the u. S. Tax code but also health care, domestic spending, even oil and gas drilling. The plan would cut taxes by nearly 1. 5 trillion. Major corporations and the richest americans, including President Trump and his own family, would reap the most dramatic benefits. The legislation includes slashing the Corporate Tax rate from 35 to 20 and giving further tax cuts to wealthy business owners. The Senate Version would also dramatically cut the estate tax, while a house version of the plan, passed last month, would eliminate the estate tax entire. Tax entirely. Significantly, the senate bill would also repeal the Affordable Care acts individual mandate, which experts say would cause the cost of Health Insurance to skyrocket. It wouould lead to millions of pepeople losing their Health Insurance. A little known provision would even open one of the worlds last pristine wildernesses the Arctic National wildlife refuge to oil and fracked gas drilling. According to a report and public citizen, more than half of all registered lobbyists in washington, d. C. , worked on the tax bill. Overall, the bill is expected to add 1. 4 trillion to federal budget deficits over the next decade. The New York Times reports this debt will be offset by cuts to medicare, social security, and other Government Programs that benefit the poor and middle class. Critics say these cuts could include endidi access toto chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. The bill passed the sesenate 51o 49, with every d docrat votiting against the bill, and all republicans voting for it except for senator bob corker of tennessee. This is vermont independent senator bernie sanders. Sen. Sanders the legislation passed last night gives incredibly large tax breaks to the very, very wealthy. Millions ofxes on middleclass families. It leaves 13 million more americans without Health Insurance. It raises Health Insurance premiums by 10 a year. And it raises the deficit by 1. 4 trillion. Amy were joined now by minnesota democratic representative keith ellison, the muslim member of congress. First ellisoson is also the dedy chair of the Democratic National committee, or dnc. Welcome back to democracy now your response to this well, and the dark of night passage of the tax bill that will overhaul taxes in a way we havent seen in decades . It is really designed to reorder our representative democracy. What they will do with these massive tax breaks is they will buy each other up in more mergers, which will concentrate markets and make it much more difficult for Small Businesses and workers. They will also pay each other off and give each other more bonuses, which they will use to purchase political influence in washington and state capitals all over the country. So youre talking about giving a lot of money to people who are already rich. They pretty much cannot use the money to spark consumer demand because they are already satiated from a financial standpoint it and will be raising taxes on the middle class people and workingclass people. So i think this is more about reordering our society, creating a hereditary aristocracy in the United States, and really taking our country and leading a down a path where we will one day see a very tiny group of very, very, very rich elite people in an ocean of desperate people just trying to hang on and make it every single day. Not too much different from countries we see around the world like honduras, where i recently visited. Amy were going to talk about honduras in our next segment with you and honduran activists, but a want to turn to President Trump speaking in new york city on saturday y night afteter the senate narrowly approvoved a tax overhaul. Trump out of 52 rerepublican senators, 51 voted and we endnded up doing it andne did not need our great Vice President to break the tie. We did not need mike. We do not t need anything. G. We vototed. The democrats ft befefore the vote was somebody said started, s somebody said beforet was ovover. I dont even care. But we got no democrat help and i think that will cost them very big in the election. Basically, they voted against tax cuts. I dont thinink politically it s good to vote against tax cuts. Amy congressman ellison, can you respond . I dont think it is good to vote for giving more money to people who dont need it. Even trump himself stands to benefit dramatically from these tax cuts. One thing theyre cutting is the alternative minimum tax. The last time we had that was in 2005 were he paid about 31 million because of the alternative minimum tax. You wont have to pay that if this tax b bill goes through. Not only is he reorderining our consnstitutional democracy, he s personally enriching himself which is not new because he has done it ever since he swore in ohs to become president of the United States. The emoluments clause violations come all kinds of things, next to some. Nepotism. It has been a wash in filling up the swamp. This is already the richest cabinet we have seen. Apparently, they are not done yet. It is not just money to buy luxury goods. It is money to reorder our constitutional democracy, which is why i am urging everybody to become the most effective grassroots activist you can. This is essential we have a resurgence and democratic participation. I dont mean big d. I mean smalld. Getting involved in your neighborhood. This is a time to go headlon into the welfare of this nation. Amy the Senate Tax Bill would roll back the estate tax on inherited wealth, which currently applies to about 5000 of the wealthiest u. S. Families. Followining the vote, Iowa Republican senator Charles Grassley praised the move, telling the Des Moines Register i think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing, as opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have, whether its on booze or women or movies. Congressman ellison . Alwaysknow, the elites want to shame the poor and everyone else. The fact is, this economy is basesed on 70 of the people driving consumer demand. If people do not purchase goods and services, this economy will grind to recession. And that is why if youre going to do a tax cut, it ought to low income,med at middle income people. That might spur demand. The way they have done it is give more people who already have everything. The Economic Impacts of getting rid of the estate tax will not be greater investment or Greater Consumer demand. It will simply be more money for political influence, mergers, and more bonuses. In fact, let me just tell you. Literallys will worsen the economy. They will make the economy more sclerotic, if you will, because it is really putting hands in the hands of working people that allows them to open new businesses, do more hiring, and more for the economy. You put money in the hands of people who dont need it, all theyre going to do is just what i our the outlined, more political influence. Amy, thised before, economy already has the sides of plutocracy. Already has the signs that it is at a point worthy richest people are simply trying to extract wealth from the working and middle classes for themselves. This tax bill just makes this all the worse. My last poinint on this is, loo, rich people are ready have a lot of money. There is literally trillions of dollars in cash held by corporations. Stock valuations are at an alltime high. They can invest now if they wanted to. They dont want to because they can make more money just by mergers and stock buybacks and things like that. So this is really just sort of a travesty. Amy i want to turn to a video about the tax plan posted on twitter by senator jon tester of montana. The video went viral over the weekend. Tester tweeted a message with the video saying i was just handed a 479page tax bill a few hours before the vote. One page literally has hand scribbled policy changes on it that cant be read. This is washington, d. C. , at its worst. Montanans deserve so much better. It is the nigight were going to be voting on the tax bill. Ii jusust got the tax bill 25 minutes agago. Is . How thick it this is what it looks like. Oh, no, lets look at the bill. This is what it really looks like. Take a look at this, folks. This is your government at work. Here is the bill. Heres the modifications in it. I can read one word it is called add this language. Can you tell me what that word is . If you can, you better eyes than me. This is unbelievable. We are doing massive tax reform on absolute incredible timeline. This will affect everybody in thisis country. It will shift moneney from middleclass filies to t the ririch. It is amazing. We were given this 25 minutes ago. Were supposed to vote on it in a couple of hours. Amy that was senator jon tester of montana. Can you explain what now happens next . Got is the senate. Your body of congress is the house, of course. You have a slightly different tax plan. Explain, is this a done deal . For example, drilling in the arctic, given to senator michalski of alaska, the ending of the individual mandate under obamacare that is in the senate bill, not the house bill. Explain what happens now. By no means is this a done deal. That is why we need activist to kick it up a notch. The fact is, theyre going to have to have a Conference Committee in order to get one unified house senate will. And then theyre going to have to repass it. So therell be at least one more vote in each house on the bill after it has been conferenced because if you think back to your High School Civics you have to have the same bill passed through both houses, and then that is what will go to the president s desk for signature. For activist who want to preseserve constitutional democracy, who dont believe in hereditary aristocracy, who believe that teachers ought to be able to the duck 250 of School Supplies that they might spend own money for in a classroom, then you still have time to fight this horrible piece of legislation. Care just said he didnt whether he had any democrats vote for it or not. He also said none of us voted for it. We cant. It is awful. It is really shocking that any republicans voted for it. Is corker the only one who wants to stand on his believe that mounting deficits are not good . My question for republicans is, what happened youre concerned about deficits . I thought you did not like them. Suddenly, they are ok. This is outrageous. There are literally borrowing money to give it to ririch peope and huge corporations. It is really a travesty. Now is a moment of her real activism. Amy i want to get to a bunch of headlines. Last week, President TrumpDrew International outrage after he retweeted three violent videos shared by a leader of the fringe, far rightwing group called britain first. The video is purporting to show violence carried out by muslims. The videos were posted early tuesday by britain first deputy leader jayda fransen. Two of the videos retweeted by trump which were filmed in egypt and syria and presented without context, were titled, islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death and muslim destroys a statue of virgin mary a third video titled muslim migrant beats up dutch boy on crutches shows one teenager kicking and punching another. The tweeted claim was widely reported as false, including by the Dutch Embassy in washington, d. C. , which tweeted realdonaldtrump facts do matter. The perpetrator of the violent act in this video was born and raised in the netherlands. He received and completed his sentence under dutch law. Then White House Press secretary Sarah Huckabee sanders was grilled by reporters o over the videos. , whether it is a real video the threat is real and ththat is what the president is talking about. That is what the president is focused on, dealing with those real threats. Those are real number how you look at it. [inaudible] look, im not talking about the nature of the video. I think theyre focusing on the wrong thing. Amy trumps retweets drew praise from his farright supporters, including louisiana politician and ku klux klan leader david duke who tweeted this is why we love trump and why the Fake News Media hates trump. He brings to light what the lying, Fake News Media wont. The truth is the media covers up horrific numbers of racist hate crimes against white people e that was david duke endorsing President Trump. Theresa may, his ally, the Prime Minister, conservative Prime Minister of britain, condemning President Trump for what he has done. What do you feel has to happen now . Well, i feel we have to denounce donald trump again for promoting racism and hatred and division. But i want folks listening to her broadcast to understand, this is not just the ramblings of some old crazy guy. The fact is, donald trump knows that as he rifles money from the working and middle classes of to the superrich, he has to sew division among working people. The 14 people and middle class people really take a look at his economic policy, they will come together and they will stop it. So what he has to do is to promote racism. Hate the muslims, hate the blacks, hate the latinos, have been and women at each others throats. Make sure we repress the trans people. He is trying to tell all of us americans that we are our own problem, not him. That is not true. He is the problem. The fact is, americans dont hate her muslim neighbors. They dont hate the latino neighbors. We have to build human solidarity in this country because human solidarity is going to allow us to come together to protect our democracy and to protect our economy. So reject the heat. Dont buy it. Reach out to a neighbor. He is trying to sow division so he can disistract us from what e is doing to us. Expectedident trump is to decided a whether the u. S. Will recognize jerusalem as israels capital city and whether the u. S. Will move its embassy from tel aviv to jerusalem. Trumps planned coming after Senior Adviser jared kushner, his soninlaw, told the forum in washington, d. C. , trump has not decided yet. Israel has occupied since 1967. Leaders have condemned to recognize it as the capital. Documents handed as part of the plea deal show general f flynn s ordedered toto speak with russin abbasid or Sergey Kislyak by a Senior Member of the president ial Transition Team cited by many as jared kushner. Workter ordering to start with this week being declared jerusalem week by President Trump and whether he will, what his dececision will. I believe in a two state solution. Israeli state, palestinian state side by side in peace and security. So issues of where the capitals will be has always been something that is going to be negotiated in the course of a Peace Agreement between israelis and palestinians. This unit around departure from that unilateral departure from that is upsetting. The idea that we going to have a negotiated settlement. It is simply something that will delay please. It will make it much more difficult to obtain peace in the middle east. Again, it is another dramatic departure from diplomacy, from negotiated settlements. It is just trump, you know, stomping all over what we have been trying to do as a nation to foster a negotiated two state solution for many, many years. It is really a horrible tragedy. On the issue of Michael Flynn. He has already entered a clear guilty. I was a criminal defense lawyer for 17 years. I can tell you that with all of the bad things he did, if you only pleaded to this one charge of lying to the fbi, he probably is offering very substantial assistance. I dont know that. I am sharing pretty information. Just based on my experience i think Michael Flynn is going to be telling some things that donald trump might rather keep secret. But it is about time for some sunshine will stop about time for things to come to light. That is what i have to say about that. Amy congressman ellison, the whole issue of Sexual Harassment in congress. Yet Congress Members beer who has introduced a bill to change the law me to to congress. He of congressman conyers, senator franken. Do you think franken and conyers should resign . You know, amy, here is the thing. I would ask every member of congress, including those to look inside a conscience and asked themselves a few questions. Can you be effective. If you stood up your whole life to stand up for the rights of people, and both of them have, is it not a moment now where you apply some standards to yourself that you have asked others to live by . Can you be effective . Can you be there for your constituents at this point . These are questions we all have to answer. I will tell you this. I am hoping for a society where every person women can go to work and just do their job without any fear of being harassed, mistreated, treated like s secondclass citizenship individuals. In the social trends that are driving as i think are leaving our society to a better place. I will trust they will do the right t thing for their constituents, for our country. But i am looking forward to a safer, more respectful Work Environment for everyone. Amy but specifically, should john conyers resign . I heard your question. I heard your question. I heard your question. Amy so youre not willing to say that . Im going to say i asked them both to examine our conscience and do the right thing for all of us. And for their legacies. In a cup and senator franken is your fellow congressional leader from minnesota. Your answering your response as the same for senator franken . Right. Amy and what about the me too Congress Bill that would change the laws around reporting . And among the issues, do you feel that the names of the congressmembers who made settlements, paid out weather reports or Something Like 17 million of taxpayer money, should their names be made public . Both retroactively and Going Forward . Let me tell you on the issue of the 17 million, i mean, the facts do matter. As a journalist, i know you agree with that. All that 17 million was not about Sexual Harassment claims. Amy also racial and other issues. The bottom line is, it is the bottom line is, it is important to understand what those settlement payouts were actually about. And not all of them were about Sexual Harassment in particular. Regarding the bill . Piecek it is an important of legislation. I believe in reading bills and going through to make sure we understand the implications of it. Getting testimony, things like that i think are critically important. I will tell you that we need greater level of transparency and sunshine. Time, we will lead description victims coming ford if theyre not fully ready about what happened to them, is there a place for them, process amy their names dont have to be made public. The accusers. But when there is a settlement, the American People have a right to know who is settling and what for. You know, they might. I think this is a very here is the thing. The answer to your question is this. This is a piece of legislation that we have got to examine, get testimony on, here how it will implicate everybody. In congress, we have hearings on stuff like that. At this point, i would want to hear from the victims, what they think about the law, testimony on that. I think of this law helps to bring light to these horrible tragedies, that is a good thing. I think if it would dissuade the resolulution of the case, that might be an impact that we are not fully aware of yet that we might want to really y think abt before we move in that direction. The point is this. The specific piece of legislation, in my mind, is not as important as the fact that jackie speer is driving a critical issue that we all have to examine and is pushing us to a fair, safer, moores excellent workplace. That is the real issue. In terms of this particulars of the bill, we will continue to examine them but i am hopeful that the work that jackiespeier is doing and many others will bring us to a safer, more respectful workplace and i think that is the most important thing about this. Amy congressman ellison, we would like you to stay with us as were going to turn to the issue of honduras in the crisis that is developing there. Were going to go to break and then come back to honduras where thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest what many are calling an electoral coup detat. Stay with us. [music break] amy impeach the president here on democracy now , democracynow. Org, im amy goodman. We turn now to honduras, where tens of thousands of protesters poured into the streets sunday to denounce alleged Election Fraud and to support opposition president ial candidate Salvador Nasralla. We were protesting here to call on the electoral tribunal to fulfill what the people have decided, the vote of the people for president that the people have already chosen. Amy the election pits u. S. Backed president Juan Orlando Hernandez against nasralla, head of the alliance against the dictatorship, a Coalition Party that is supported by former leftist president manuel zelaya, who was ousted in a u. S. Backed coup in 2009. Hernandez was widely expected to win the november 26 election, despite growing concerns about his consolidation of power and the militarization of honduras. But in a surprise upset, early Election Results showed nasralla leading hernandez by five points. The Electoral Commission, which is controlled by the incumbent president hernandez, then inexplicably stopped publishing Election Results for a day and a half. By the end of the week, the commission resumed publishing Election Results and claimed hernandez had taken the lead. On friday, hernandezs government suspended Constitutional Rights and imposed a military curfew. At least three people have been killed in recent days as Honduran Security Forces have opened fire against protesters. Among the victims is 19yearold kimberly fonseca, who was shot in the head as soldiers opened fire against a blockade erected by protesters in the capital, tegucigalpa, on friday night. Under mounting pressure, the commission has agreed to hold a partial recount of the vote, which nasralla has rejected as being too limited. Instead, at the protest sunday, nasralla called on the lowlevel members of the military to rebel against the generals and stop enforcing the curfew and the crackdown against protesters. In this moment, im not calling on the generals of the armed forces or the kernels of the armed forces because they have already filled the people. 2017, imember 3, calling on the base of the armed forces to rebel against your bosses. Amy for more, were joined by three guests. Were going to start with minnesesota Democratic Congress member keith ellison. You recently were in honduras. This is an issue you have been concerned about for years. Can you talk about what is happening there . The u. S. Connection to the current president and what you think needs to happen . A full, i think we need examination of the u. S. Elation ship with honduras relationship with honduras relative to the years of security aid we have been sitting down there and just the dramatic violence that is ,uffered by women, activists and people who are struggling for more fair and democratic honduras. Is,fact of the matter earlier in the election process, it looked as though nasralla was ahead. They slowed down the process and all of a sudden, hernandez is ahead. It looks like there was tampering with the election process. This is highly irregular. It appears as though there has been a reversal in terms of the Election Outcomes from nasralla to hernandez. And this is deeply troubling. I can tell you that going back any years, i have been concerned about activists in hernandez. Berta caceres try to protect your land, organizing, and w on the goldman prize for environmental activism, was shot and killed very suspiciously. Numbers of the military have even been accused of doing it. The e investigation has been que messy. See this election, people having some hope they not be able to get some democracy, then in the middle of the election count, we see this reversal. I am concerned, deeply concerned, and will continue to be monitoring this situation. Amy and the situation of the u. S. Giving millions of dollars in aid to the military in honduras, a military that is now cracking down on protesters, possibly involved with an electoral coup detat. What about the u. S. Support for what is s going on there and do you think it should be stopped . 114 million in military security and other security. With something called the Berta Caceres human rights act which says we should suspend military security aid until such time as it can be objectively determined and certified that this aid is not being used to legitimate suppress actors who are engaging in protected first amendmenttype activity that is no different from anything we would expect activists to do here in order to raise consciousness around issues they care about. In honduras, were seen activists, whether they are womensrmers, rights, journalists, getting harassed and abused. We have the Berta Caceres, which we are pushing forward right now. We would like to see that phil enacted. If enacted, it would suspend aid until it can be certified that the rights of folks have not are no longer being trampled upon as they try to seek a more democratic honduduras. Image of congressman keith ellison, thank you for being with us, recently back from honduras, long concerned about the situation there. When we come back from break, we will be joined by hundred human rights activist zenaida velasquez, one of the founders of the founders of the committee of relatives of the disappeared in honduras, lost her sister. Stay with us. [music break] amy honduran musician karla lara performing here on our democracy now studio. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. As we continue on the crisis in honduras, where tens of thousands of protesters poured into the streets sunday two to announce the alleged Election Fraud and to support opposition president ial candidate Salvador Nasralla. Last week, positive accounting of the but when the incumbent president juan Linda Hernandez was trailing opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla who is now calling on the military to stop the crackdown on protesters. We are joined by honduran human rights activist zenaida velasquez. Shes one of the founders of the committee of relatives of the disappeared in honduras. Her sister, ilse velasque, was a teacher who was killed during a demonstration in march 2011. Her brother, manfredo velasquez, was abducted and disappeared by Honduran Security Forces in 1981. Joining us from honduras is matt ginsbergjaeckle, one of the founding members of the honduras solidarity network, a member of the group la voz de los de abajo and a longtime friend of murdered environmental organizer Berta Caceres. We welcome you both to democracy now im going to begin with zenaida velasquez. What do understand is happening right now and what are you calling for . Good morning, amy. The risk ofening is a general strike in the entire country because they are opposing this curfew that certainly is mostly a coup detat. And so the possibility of having a general strike because the people say they are composing p. M. Curfew to us from 6 00 to 6 00 a. M. , so from 6 00 a. M. To 6 00 p. M. In general strike thiswe have to stop electoral vote, this blatantly rigged electoral results. It is incredible how they have hacked the system three times, then all of a sudden when they reactivate the system, juan orlando is ahead of Salvador Nasralla. This is completely outrageous. They are talking about this when on sunday actually, monday, Early Morning about 2 00 a. M. , finally, the first results were given and Salvador Nasralla was winning by five points after counting 67 . , 33 , washe rest going to be done the rest of the days. It is more than a week already. They are still playing with those results. That is why the people are completely frustrated and angry. And the most amazing thing is that it is mostly youth. Yesterday, we have between 500,000 500,000 to 600,000 people in the streets of tegucigalpa. It is mostly youth. It is about 80 the youth that a d doing this, acmpmpanie of cour, byby t rest of the people. Saying, everywhere they we demonstrating and tyy say, o is afrd of anyingere . Amy i wt to bri matt ginsbergaeaecklento th convertion. Can you ll ushere you a in nduras andhat you e haening onhe groun i tegucalpa. Iave be here for seval da. I ha been inhe count for abt 10 days. It iseally sueal. It is hard to describe what is happening. I spent a good portion of the last few days doing human rights monitoring, both in the protests and the main Public Hospital in tegucigalpa which is really ground zero to see how this military siege is playing out. Ambulance after ambulance, truck after truck, taxi after taxi come pouring through the gates bringing wounded protester after wounded protester. These are protesters being wounded by live ammunition, amy. It is unreal. There is not enough room for them in the emergency room. There leaving some people shot just in the lead waiting up to an hour because they have so many other cases to attend to. A state of complete impunity. I was atat the h hospital when a curfew was c called. Theyey gave one hour notice ande were in the middddle of documend severe violations of human rights when we had to all be rushed out to get home safely. But i also want to emphasize there is another side of what is going on here. One moment is the moment where were watching these grave violations of human rights. The other moments are the ones where were seeing these people refusing to give up and refusing to accept this fraud. The night after the first night of curfew is being called the black knight because of the amount of death and bloodshed. It was the banging of pots and pans. When you step outside tegucigalpa, sounded like there wasnt a single household that was not banging pots and pans. It was a symphony of joy of yelling, of open defiance. In many never its people, people were flooding out in open defiance of extreme making it clear the will of the people is not broken. The next day, over 100,000 in the streets. Amy matt, can you desescribe a case who intervened in . Use all the military chasing a group beating a man. Describe what happened and where it was. We were along the boulevard. It was on thursday. Ae military was chasing after group of protesters that have been maintaining a blockade. After atary was chasing number of people. It was approximately 10 young women plus a couple middleaged a middleaged couple. They turned around the corner and started running as fast as they could. Right after them can military yelling with fouling which ellen were going to get you i will use the actually which they used. And mine decided to run after the militaries fast as we coululd. By the time we got to them, the man was a pretty bloodied in the face but we were able to insert ourselves between the military and the man and his wife, the ones the military had caught up with and told the military that we were from International Human rights and to please stop and let us know if there were accusations. And if there wasnt, they needed to leave these people alone. The military responded to that by swinging their bad toward me and intimidating manner. Finally deciding to run back down the hill. Amy and the woman who was killed, the teenager, 19 years old, kimberly fonseca. Can you tell us her story . Yes. Wasnt onely, that of the cases i documented. I know she was one of the people that was out banging pots and pans and out in the neighborhood when the curfew had been called, showing defiance. The military opened fire and shot her, i believe in the head. She was pronounced dead on site. I went to the morgue to try to verify the details of the case, but there are two morgues. I was not at the one where she was brought to. I am hearing there are six cases now. Ive been able to confirm at least four of those cases of people around the country who have been killed by live ammunition by the military. Amy zenaida velasquez, the intercept is reporting the president of honduras is deploying against protesters. The amount of money the u. S. Has poured into the honduran military and other security over the last year since the coup detat in 2009 is well over 100 million, could be 200 million. What are you calling for now . This are calling to stop military aid. From the army, he that obeysl police to him. He has prepared these police to kill. Kill, toe order is to shoot the people directly, to kill them. And the other rumor that is will on, amy, is today he be back in honduras after being , searchinged states for more help p and support. To decide hegoing is the winner. If all of these protests, if all of these demonstrations, if all of these outcries from not only hondurans, but international and he is not heard declared the winner, i think we will see rivers of blood because kill. People are going to they have been given the order to shoot directly to the people. Amy mass, the domains of the people on the ground we only have 20 seconds. The demands of the people on the ground, first of all, there were 5000 tally sheets of votes directly from the tribunal headquarters entegris a goal the right of the system went down for eight hours in a was at that point they want every single one of those scrutinized. They want the illegal and unscrupulous regime of hernandez to come to an and. He was an illegal candidate to begin with. Amy we have to leave it there for now. We will continue to cover this developing story. Matt ginsbergjaeckle and. Enaida velasquez that does it for