What we have is an independent country that has complied with the law. Whatever any other country says that's just simply their opinion, which I respect. [...] We do not want any country interfering in the internal affairs of Honduras.
On Friday, July 24, when he finally went through the chains of exile and stepped back unto Honduran soil, dragging much of the world's attention with him, Zelaya opted to walk back and return to Nicaragua. The lights went out, but the function has continued.
All of these stunts and ultimatums have done more to strip the mask from Zelaya and reveal him as a dictator-in-gestation, and show that Honduras had the right idea when they arrested him, even if the execution of the idea was debatable. Small wonder that Zelaya didn’t get adoring crowds this weekend; the adoration has dwindled down to the core Chavistas.
If the exiled President Manuel Zelaya really wanted to enter Honduran territory, he could do so very easily.
The struggle being waged in Honduras at this moment, is the struggle of the people who are still safe and unharmed from the assault by that forgery that has its headquarters in Caracas and Havana. History has put you in this fight that is so important for Latin America. If let them take away your nation, you will have made irresponsible use of the joy of being free.
FARC is a Violent non-state actor (VNSA), considered a terrorist group by the Colombian government, the United States Department of State, Canada and the European Union.
I find it funny that people take him seriously with this "innocent poll" idea, since when can you conduct a valid poll by a distributing ballots (by the military) like it was an election and then saying it is non-binding. You want a poll, you get a polling agency to do it, what they were doing is a vote!
Polls are done door to door by private companies or through the phone. What he wanted to do was a referendum because you had to go to a polling station, present your ID, fill out a form in secret, and have your finger painted with ink so that you wouldn't be able to vote again. Does that sound like a poll? No, that's the exact same thing people do during elections.
But to make matters worse... he had his own people running the referendum... they would do the counting and present the results directly to him. Do you really doubt the outcome of the referendum?
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I am extremely concerned about the support from [Barack Obama's] Administration for the return of Manuel Zelaya to power and the rejection of the legitimacy of the Honduran Constitution, the Supreme Court, Congress, the Electoral Tribunal, Attorney General and the Human Rights Commissioner.
Why then the turning of the proverbial back on Honduras, a nation who in following their laws, were forced to force their power-hungry, over-reaching leader out of office and the country? Why publicly side with the likes of Chavez and the Castros, especially when they are so clearly wrong and manipulating the rhetoric of democracy to condemn a people brave enough to stand up to their brand of political thuggery and strong-arming?
The process of removing threats to liberty is not always pleasant, and certainly offers no comfort to the weak-of-heart. But when has it ever been easy to maintain freedom even in a free country like our own? Who said it had to be "by the book" when bad people are opposed and prevented from dominating others? When we remain silent, evil triumphs. Hugo Chavez won't stop trying to implement disciples of his socialist totalitarianism in countries in Central and South America. Consequently, we must never stop promoting and supporting those who oppose such soul-crushing authoritarianism, even if only with words. Just because we can't send troops doesn't mean we can't help change the course of history for other freedom-loving people.
The problem goes beyond Zelaya. We do not want Chavez to rule Honduras. That is the key to the problem.
Given that the government of Venezuela has made threats to our forces, has been meddling in affairs exclusive to Honduras, has disregarded our sovereignty, we respectfully request the removal of all ... its diplomatic administrative staff in the service of the Venezuelan Embassy here in Honduras.
[Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's chief spokesman, P.J. Crowley] said that [Clinton] made it clear that the United States was ready to use its enormous leverage over Honduras if Micheletti's government does not comply [with the San Jose negotiations]. The administration has so far withheld $18.5 million in aid to Honduras, but it could also stop an additional $180 million in development aid. The United States also has huge leverage through trade because 70% of Honduras' exports go to the United States....and...
Micheletti confirmed he had spoken to Clinton and said he told her to send a trusted envoy to Honduras to get a "real" picture of what is happening. "We've tried to explain what went on here before June 28," he said, "and everyone just wants to hear what happened on June 28."Source: Los Angeles Times
"Zelaya is fighting with all the institutions in the country. He is in no condition really to govern." And that's the truth. According to Mexican pollster Mitofsky's April survey, Zelaya was Latin America's least popular leader. Only 25 percent of the nation supported him. Another survey found that 67 percent of Hondurans would never vote for him again. Why? Because the Hondurans attributed to him a deep level of corruption; because they assumed he had links to drug trafficking, especially drugs originating in Venezuela, as former U.S. Ambassador to the O.A.S. Roger Noriega revealed in a well-documented article published in his blog; and because violence and poverty -- the nation's two worst scourges -- have increased dramatically during his three years in power....and...
Simply put, a huge majority of the country -- including the two major political parties (including Zelaya's), the Christian churches, the other branches of government and the armed forces -- do not want him as president. All agreed that he should finish his mandate and leave power in January 2010, but no one wanted him to break the law to keep himself in the presidency.
The solution is to move forward with the general elections planned for November. It's a solution within everyone's reach: the candidates are already there, freely elected in open primaries, and both enjoy much popularity. Why plunge this society irresponsibly into a maelstrom of violence? Once the new government is selected, a government that enjoys the legitimacy generated by a democratic process, the Honduran people can push this lamentable episode into the past.
I regret very much that it has not been possible so far to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the crisis in Honduras. Given the circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to suspend all budget aid."
Insulza, I don't know what dictatorship means to you. The current president of Honduras took possession of the office according to the prevailing constitution. The president hasn't accumulated power to himself. The Congress that was elected by the people continues to function. The Supreme Court that was elected by the most transparent procedure in the history of Honduras continues to function. The armed forces are obedient not belligerent, and are acting as guarantors of our democracy.
The government is subject to laws and limits and does not control all aspects of life in the state and of its citizens. Therefore it does not resemble anything close to a dictatorship. The government does not intend to stay, and has assured the general elections will occur as scheduled. Recall that candidates for elected offices were elected within the law and with the approval of the people.
Insulza, Honduras is calm. The opposition, a minority, is allowed to demonstrate, even though they step on the desires of the rest of us. Zelaya Rosales is the one who wants violence. He says only hatred, desire for revenge, and lies about what happened in Honduras and what is happening. He wants to return to illegality (his statements confirm that he is insisting on calling the illegal constituent assembly), so he is not a solution.
Insulza, pay attention to reason and not to pressure from Chavez. Honduras is a noble country fighting for self-determination, something that is obviously a sin to the oppressors of the world.
UnoAmerica recognized the new Honduran government. Who and what does UnoAmerica represent?
UnoAmerica is an Alliance of Latin-American Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), created to defend democracy and freedom, both currently in danger in our continent. We decided to recognize the new Honduran government because the ousting of President Manuel Zelaya was actually an impeachment. Zelaya wanted to change the Constitution, without the approval of the Supreme Court and the Congress, in order to stay illegally in power. As in all democratic governments, there are three branches of power in Honduras. In this case, the Executive wanted to stage a coup against the Constitution, and the other two powers (Legislative and Judiciary) did not let that happen. It is very simple.
Why is the world allied against the new government?
In part, because of disinformation, and in part, because Hugo Chavez and his allies have been conducting a black propaganda operation against the new government, in order to defend their friend Zelaya. Unfortunately, some authorities in the U.S. have fallen for that version, without really knowing what went on.
Why is Obama siding with Chavez and Castro on this matter?
I believe that, on the one hand, Obama is beginning to show his socialist tendencies, which were denounced during the American presidential campaign. On the other hand, Obama is letting himself be influenced by several presidents of Latin America, particularly Lula of Brazil, who is the real power behind the São Paulo Forum.
Can Honduras be saved from Chavez?
I think it can, but it requires the participation of all citizens, not only of Latin America, but of the U.S. as well. Honduras is facing tremendous pressures, and will not be able to bear them without the help of the world public opinion. Every article, every interview, in favor of the Honduran democracy helps to defend their institutions against Chavez's assault.
What has happened to the Organization of American States?
Unfortunately, 15 presidents of Latin America belong to the São Paulo Forum*, and seven other governments (especially from the Caribbean islands, who are dependent on Chavez's oil shipments) do as well. We could say, then, that 22 of 34 of the votes in the OAS are controlled by Chavez. José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS, himself belongs to the Chilean Socialist Party, which is a member of the São Paulo Forum.
The effort to defend a democratically elected president has no precedent in the region. [...] I've never seen anything like it in Latin America. [...] It has been remarkable seeing the various Latin American presidents traveling around the continent expressing their support for the deposed president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya....and...
The greatest act of cynicism was played out when dictator Raul Castro, also in Managua, demanded the return of democracy to Honduras, while neither he nor his brother Fidel were ever elected to rule the island in free, multiparty elections. Raul, in other words, wants democracy for Honduras but not for Cuba....and...
Chavez himself admitted at a press conference last Friday that he fooled Venezuelans in the 1998 elections. "I was a candidate (simply) to call for Constitutional reform," he said, with a cynical smile. This means that even then he was planning to perpetuate himself in power, but never said so. He pretended to be a democrat. Today we know he is not....and...
That the restoration of democracy be urgent in one country, and not in another, is not logical. What excuse does the OAS have for demanding democracy in Honduras while forgetting about Venezuela and Cuba?
How much must Mel hate the country to have embarked on this course and then ask for blood to enable his return and the continuation of his process? Or, to put in a more cynical way, how much must Mel owe Hugo Chavez, Rafael Correa and Daniel Ortega to be willing to pay the bill with Honduran blood?
Today, the Union of Democratic Organizations of America, UnoAmérica, issued a statement warning the government of the United States, the U.S. ambassador in Honduras, Hugo Llorens, and the president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, that their insistence on the return of the Zelaya power would further the interests of drug trafficking in the region.
According UnoAmérica, Zelaya not only attempted to sack the Honduran Constitution, the reason for which he was lawfully ousted, but during his tenure, Honduras was becoming a narco-state. "It is no coincidence that Zelaya has promoted the advancement of drug trafficking, because all the other members of the ALBA have done so," says the UnoAmérica communique.
On July 5, Mr. Zelaya boarded a plane manned by a Venezuelan crew bound for Tegucigalpa, knowing full well that he would not be allowed to land. It didn't matter. His intention was to incite a mob on the ground and force a confrontation between his supporters and the military. It worked. One person was killed in clashes near the airport.
Yet the tragedy did not produce the desired condemnation of the Micheletti government. Rather, it empowered Honduran patriots. Perhaps this is because the airport violence reinforced the claim that Mr. Zelaya is a threat to the peace.
He was not the only one to lose credibility that day. OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza had encouraged the fly-over stunt despite its obvious risks. He even traveled in a separate plane behind Mr. Zelaya to show support. The incident destroyed any possibility that Mr. Insulza could be considered an honest broker. It also proved the charge that by insisting on Mr. Zelaya's return the U.S. was playing with fire.
It is absurd and ridiculous that Zelaya comes to demand his return to the Executive based on a constitutional standard that he declared outdated and unnecessary and which [according to him] should be replaced by another text.
I'm sorry, Mr. President [Oscar Arias], but the proposals you have submitted are unacceptable to the constitutional government of Honduras that I represent. On behalf of a small but decent people, I'm sorry, but your proposal is unacceptable, particularly its point number one*.
What I do want to make clear, both in Honduras and internationally, is that those that speak of "civil war" are not Honduran.
[The problem with the proposal is that] they want to present Zelaya as the President, but for us he is the deposed President. He is a person who has a process initiated against him by the Public Prosecutor's Office and a warrant for his arrest.
Impossible. The reinstatement of Zelaya, as we have maintained and now repeat, is not negotiable ... there is no possibility of him returning to Honduras as president.
We are not going to, on any point, make any agreement without respect for our institutions and respect for the Constitution.
Force was the source of this problem, and it will never be the solution.
"My followers should practice what I always preached: Non-Violence"
We support a peaceful and negotiated solution. We urge other countries to play a positive role in achieving this goal and to refrain from any action that might lead to violence."
The Honduran constitution is written the way it is deliberately. It seeks to avoid the possibility of so called Presidents For Life, like Chavez had made himself - like Hilter made himself (who was first elected democratically). Obama says since Zelaya was elected he should remain president. Using Obama's logic we could never have impeached Nixon. He was elected democratically, too. Trouble was, he broke the law. Same as Zelaya, who is breaking the law trying to install himself as President For Life. Conservatives are right in supporting the Honduran Supreme Court, Honduran Congress and Honduran Military in putting a stop to that, in accordance with the Honduran constitution. To do otherwise is to put Honduras on the path to ending democratic rule.
The interim government in Honduras says it has lifted the curfew that had been in place since the June 28 coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The official statement, broadcast on radio and television, said the curfew was lifted across the country Sunday. It said the curfew had helped restore calm.
...Reality has sunk in and [Manuel] Zelaya, an unpopular, vainglorious and anti-U.S. leader, is unlikely to be returned to power. Not only does Honduras' constitution forbid it, but Hondurans don't want it, and time is running out.
Zelaya was removed from office for his unconstitutional and illegal attempts to alter the constitution of Honduras for purely selfish reasons.
Chavez is like a computer virus that wants to spread all through the Americas.
