On July 5, 2009, thousands of demonstrators gathered around the Tegucigalpa airport to greet ousted President Manuel Zelaya. Army troops blocked the runway, preventing Zelaya from landing. After demonstrators started to take down a fence surrounding the airport, soldiers opened fire. At least one teenage boy was killed, and more than 10 people are reported to have been injured. The de facto government claims the army is not responsible for the killing. But evidence obtained by Human Rights Watch suggests that Honduran soldiers may have used excessive force, shooting live ammunition at unarmed demonstrators.

Despite pledges by the Honduran authorities to curb violence and protect vulnerable groups, attacks on transgender people continue to be commonplace in Honduras.