Protesters on rampage after drug agents shoot 4 dead

The protests came after the authorities in America confirmed on Wednesday night that its agents were on a US-owned helicopter with Honduran police officers when the shooting happened last Friday.

Sources said that the helicopters were transporting members of the police response unit when the incident happened.

Authorities in Honduras said the two men and two pregnant women killed were not drug smugglers, but were diving for lobster and shellfish.

“These innocent residents were not involved in the drug problem, were in their boat going about their daily fishing activities ... when they gunned them down from the air,” Lucio Vaquedano, mayor of the coastal town of Ahuas, said .

Recounting the burning of government offices in the northern Gracias a Dios region, Mr Vaquedano said: “Some of the inhabitants reacted with anger at the attack, and sought revenge against the government.”

But both Honduran and US officials said only the Honduran police officers on the anti-drug mission fired their weapons after the helicopter was shot at. They said the aircraft was chasing a small boat suspected of carrying drugs on the river.

The leaders of the Masta, Diunat, Rayaka, Batiasta and Bamiasta ethnic groups said in a statement that “the people in that canoe were fishermen, not drug traffickers.”

“For centuries we have been a peaceful people who live in harmony with nature, but today we declared these Americans to be persona non grata in our territory,” the statement continued.

Ricardo Ramirez, chief of Honduras’ national police force, said the operation “was carried out with the support of the DEA,” and alleged the occupants of the boat were transporting drugs and fired at the helicopter.

DEA officials acknowledged their agents were working with Honduran police aboard the helicopter. “We were there in a support role, working with our counterparts,” a spokeswoman said.

US government officials said Honduran law enforcement did not initiate the shooting, but rather returned fire after being attacked. The officials said the DEA agents did not fire.

Another US official said several helicopters owned by the US State Department were involved in the mission and carried members of Honduras’ National Police Tactical Response Team. The official didn’t say how many helicopters were on the mission, but said the aircraft were piloted by Guatemalan military officers and outside contractor pilots.

American reports say 79 per cent of all cocaine smuggling flights leaving South America first land in Honduras.

American authorities have been working with the Honduran military to stop the drug dealers.