On May 31, 2019, a fire was set close to the access gate of the US Embassy in Tegucigalpa by masked individuals that tires on fire. The embassy building itself did not sustain damage. Firefighters quelled the blaze and a police spokesperson indicated that a 23 year old male suspect had been arrested. Others were still at large. May 30th and 31st saw the capital city rocked by violent protests against proposed public sector health and education reforms.

Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras has been wracked in recent weeks and for much of this year by protests that have seen the both the Army and the Police deployed. Reports indicate that at least two people have died of bullet wounds in the last week in the wake of looting of shops and attacks on government buildings. Protesters blocked certain roads and burned tires.

Protests began in January 2019 against President Juan Orlando Hernández to mark the one year anniversary of his narrow election victory in 2017. The Honduran constitution was changed to allow Mr. Hernández to compete in the 2017 presidential election. The protests since April have been linked to proposals to reform the ministries of education and health services. There is a widespread belief among the popular masses that budget reductions will be enacted as the first step onto a slippery slope that will lead to privatization of healthcare and educational services.