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Masks refuseniks are handcuffed and placed in the back of police vehicle in Coxen Hole.

Roatan Police Steps Up Enforcing Nonsensical ‘Mask Laws’ and Punishes Mask Refuseniks

Roatan police took a step further in tightening penalties against personal freedoms under the pretext of protecting population from a COVID-19 virus. In early October island police officers begun strict enforcement of presidential decree 58-2020 passed by congress on May 23 that makes wearing masks across Honduras obligatory in “any place or private establishment where five or more people remain in whatever activity.”

The law forces children over the age of three to wear masks, even at home and when they are sleeping if there are more than five people present. “I witnessed a man doing hard physical labor covered in sweat no one close and wearing a mask. Common sense needs to take precedence over mask rules,” said Paul Kendall, a Roatan resident. Sadly, common sense is in increasingly in short supply. “Evil appears as good in the minds of those whom god leads to destruction,” wrote ancient playwright Sophocles.

Hondurans are much more complicit in allowing being deprived of freedoms to worship, travel and personal property. Unlike almost daily protests against mask wearing that are taking place in Australia, UK and Germany, Hondurans have remained silent.

Law forces children over the age of three to wear masks, even at home and when they are sleeping if there are more than five people present. 

The 58-2020 decree specifies a 200 Lps. fine or “social work for six hours” for first time mask refuseniks. The second violation is punishable by a 12-hour arrest and “habitual violators” are to be deprived of Honduran social programs and fiscal incentives. The Honduran mask law is basically a simplified Chinese “social credit system” that turned China into an open-air prison.

With the decree the notoriously corrupt Honduran police force was given a cash cow they are likely to milk dry. National Police on the island has been fining first time mask refuseniks 300 Lps, instead of 200 Lps. that the decree specifies, or arresting them without giving them option to pay the fine in the first place. “They are only bothering people that walk by. Look for thieves and murderers instead,” wrote about the police on social media Karen Norales.

“Habitual violators” are to be deprived of Honduran social programs and fiscal incentives. The Honduran mask law is basically a simplified Chinese “Social credit system” 

Honduran national police increasingly “protects and serves” their own and oligarchic interests. Roatan Police fines private vehicle drivers for not wearing masks even thou the law 58-2020 in article 13 exempts them from wearing masks. “If you leave on public roads you have to wear masks and practice social distancing,” said Sub Commissioner Serrano Nieto, Bay Islands police chief.

Making wearing masks in vehicles is not only illegal, it can be dangerous. “I almost last control of my motorcycle and crashed as my mask blew up and covered my eyes,” says Kennely Ordóñez, resident of Jose Santos Guardiola.

Forcing healthy people to wear masks are means of enforcing conformity and an instrument of control. Some Roatanians see the ironies that many of the 30-or-so police officers who brought the COVID-19 virus with them in July are now are making others to wear masks.