The recent decision by the government of President Xiomara Castro to make the book El golpe 28-J: Conspiración transnacional, un crimen en la impunidad (The July 28 Coup: Transnational Conspiracy, a Crime with Impunity), written by Manuel “Mel” Zelaya, compulsory reading in schools has sparked intense political and social debate in Honduras. This measure, which has been strongly rejected by various sectors of society, has put the issue of education in the country in the spotlight, pitting opposing views on the role of classroom content and its relationship to ideological indoctrination.
A regulation that ignites debate
The decision, which appeared in La Gaceta under number 36,798, mandates the inclusion of Zelaya’s book in the Morazán curriculum for both public and private educational institutions nationwide. By this decree, numerous copies of El golpe 28-J are to be circulated across the nation, making it required reading for high school scholars. The book details the experience of the former president removed from office in 2009, portraying the coup as an international plot and a “crime against the nation.”
This action has sparked anger among multiple entities in political, educational, and civil circles, who have criticized the initiative as a clear effort to enforce a biased narrative of the events from 2009. Congresswoman Iroshka Elvir, a prominent critic of the decree, condemned the project for its “ideological indoctrination”. Additionally, parents have voiced their worries over what they perceive as a strategy to “indoctrinate” young people in Honduras, blaming the government for exploiting the education system to disseminate political messages.
Defenders of the decree: historical memory as a pillar of democracy
The Ministry of Education, however, has defended the compulsory reading, assuring that the aim of the decree is to preserve the country’s historical memory and prevent the crimes committed during the coup from being repeated in the future. According to government officials, education about these events is essential to strengthening democracy in Honduras, arguing that it is necessary for new generations to know in detail the events that marked a milestone in the country’s contemporary history.
The government of Xiomara Castro, who has close political ties to Zelaya, maintains that such measures are part of a process of historical vindication, which seeks to clarify and acknowledge what happened during the 2009 coup. However, this position has failed to calm criticism, and polarization on the issue continues to grow.
Growing social rejection and protest
El debate se ha intensificado en las redes sociales, donde encuestas informales muestran que una parte considerable de la población, más del 60%, rechaza la lectura obligatoria del libro. La percepción de que el gobierno está usando la educación para consolidar su influencia política y promover una agenda ideológica ha generado una fuerte resistencia. Líderes opositores y movimientos sociales han comenzado a movilizarse contra el decreto, exigiendo su derogación. En este contexto, se ha anunciado acción legal para detener lo que consideran un ataque a la libertad educativa y a la pluralidad de pensamiento en el país.
Furthermore, there has been increasing tension in schools, with both educators and pupils experiencing pressure to adhere to government mandates. Concerns that this action could establish a precedent for further politicizing the educational curriculum have intensified worries among groups advocating for education without partisan influences.
The battle for education and historical truth
Zelaya’s decree has opened a new chapter in the political polarization of Honduras and has highlighted the tensions between those who advocate a single view of historical events and those who defend an education based on plurality and critical thinking. The controversy has also exposed the fragility of the Honduran education system, which faces profound structural challenges that go beyond curriculum content.
As public movements become more numerous and louder, the question that persists is whether Honduras is experiencing a true educational transformation or if it is heading towards a scenario where history is used as an instrument for political manipulation. The response to this question could shape the future of the educational system and, more extensively, democratic governance within the nation.
In the meantime, the debate remains open, with an increasingly divided citizenry, a government determined to maintain its position, and an educational class cautiously observing how this episode could set precedents in the relationship between politics and education in Honduras.