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Exiled Honduran Leader Heads for Border Showdown
ESTELI, Nicaragua - Honduras's de facto government shut its southern border with Nicaragua Thursday, hoping to block President Manuel Zelaya's bid to return home a month after he was ousted in a coup.
Zelaya on Thursday completed the first stage of a dramatic bid to end his military-imposed exile, traveling to the border town of Esteli, northern Nicaragua, and vowing to cross the nearby frontier on Friday or Saturday.
Supporters of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya walk along a road in El Zamorano as they head to the border crossing between Honduras and Nicaragua to wait for the arrival of the deposed president. Honduras's de facto government shut its southern border with Nicaragua, hoping to block Zelaya's bid to return home a month after he was ousted in a coup. (AFP) Defying government threats to arrest him and multiple warnings that the move would likely prompt bloodshed, Zelaya boarded a 50-vehicle caravan in the Nicaraguan capital Managua, accompanied by a phalanx of media and supporters.
In Honduras, the military-backed government responded with restrictions on incoming border crossings, as hundreds as Zelaya supporters headed for the coffee-growing frontier region, which straddles the pan-American highway.
"I'm walking toward the Honduran border. I hope that a good portion of the Honduran people can get through the barriers," Zelaya said on arrival in Esteli.
Honduran troops expelled Zelaya from Honduras at gunpoint on June 28 in a move supported by the courts and Congress.
But the deposed president said he hoped that Honduran soldiers awaiting him would "lower their guns" when they saw their elected leader and join his ranks to "raise the banner of democracy."
"We go with the white flag of peace to proclaim reconciliation for the Honduran people," he said.
"I know that I am in danger, at risk, but I am ready to make the sacrifice, because Honduras needs peaceful change."
Zelaya announced he would return home after talks with the interim government, brokered by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, collapsed.
In a first attempt, on July 6, he tried to fly into the Tegucigalpa airport, but was blocked by military units deployed on the runway, while on the ground, two of his supporters died in clashes with troops.
Regional powers, including the United States, have backed Zelaya's quest to regain office, but urged him not to return for fear of prompting bloodshed in a country some say is teetering on the brink of civil war.
In an increasingly polarized Honduras, Zelaya supporters called a national strike Thursday, with teachers unions suspending classes across the country.
In the Honduran town of El Paraiso, 10 kilometers (six miles) from Nicaragua, supporters of "Mel" as he is known, congregated in defiance of a 12-hour curfew in the steamy border region.
"The people are here to defend the constitution and democracy," Jorge Elicer Gaitan, a local trade unionist told AFP.
Zelaya aide Alan Fajardo said the president would return when the conditions were ready: sufficient citizen participation and an element of surprise were key conditions, he added.
The high-stakes gamble unfolded as international rights groups slammed the government of interim Honduran leader Roberto Micheletti for a host of human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions.
A 15-person team of international human rights group representatives meanwhile said there had been "grave and systematic violations" in Honduras over the last month.
The groups mentioned extrajudicial executions during the curfew, pressure on news media opposed to Micheletti's government and the "suspension of fundamental rights of Hondurans."
Honduran human rights commissioner Ramon Angel Custodio, who supports the interim government, denied the charges made by the Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights, the Washington-based Center for Justice and International Law and Spain's Federation of Associations in the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights.
Hopes for a mediated solution to the crisis were scuttled when Micheletti's negotiators rejected fresh proposals late Wednesday to allow Zelaya to return to power until his term ended in January.
Acting Honduran foreign minister Carlos Lopez Contreras told CNN Zelaya's return as president was "impossible."
Arias, who won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the end to civil wars in Central America, wanted Zelaya to head a national unity government.
In return, interim leaders would have seen sanctions lifted, a limited amnesty for political crimes, and a bar on Zelaya seeking changes to the constitution.
- Posted in
47 Comments so far
Show AllCan we get show support in the USA?
-- Call / write your local media
-- Call / write your representative
-- Call / write the White House
-- Call / write the Honduran embassy
Demand that the USA actively and publicly denounce the coup and support the return of the elected President. Make some noise!
Obama and Clinton are doing exactly that, are they not ???
They are talking the talk you want.
Do you want them to punish the economy of the third poorest economy in Latin America with sanctions as well ???? That would hurt the poor and middle class, not the rich elite. Would that make you feel better ???
Do you want the US to bomb the Honduran military ???
Do you want the US to bomb the Honduran supreme court ???
Do you want the US to bomb the Honduran congress ???
Do you want the US to bomb the headquarters of the political party of the exiled former President because they replaced him as President with another member of the same party ???
Yes, it is true the President of Honduras changed last month from one leader of the Liberal party of Honduras to another Leader of the Liberal party by action of the Honduran Congress controlled by the Liberal party of Honduras. The change was initiated by the Supreme Court of Honduras, the removal was carried out by the military and approved by the Honduran Congress, the new President was selected by the Honduran Congress and the political party the exiled President belonged to.
Makes it kind of hard to pick targets for the bombers, does it not ???
Clinton and Obama are talking (sometimes,and then contradicting themselves) the talk, but not walking the walk. As is clear from published reports including this article, the Clinton state department and Obama administration are happy to legitimize the coup by negotiating compromises with the illegal government.
And gosh, if the coup is so perfectly legal as you insist, why has every government condemned it? And the Organization of American States?
Oh by the way, there are many things besides bombing that the USA can do. Do not put your phony straw-man arguments in my mouth.
Hello! The country that you call upon to denounce the coup, in fact and indeed supports and (most likely) promulgated said coup! That country's citizenry, for the large part, are too stupid and/or don't care.
Local Media- there is no such thing anymore. There are only outlets in the various cities of the official propagandists which we still refer to as "The Media".
(your) representitive- only corporations and their administrators have representation any more. The (very) few who do not tow the corporate line have been marginalized, to say the least.
The White House- ROFLMAO be for real. Obama himself said that he is "unsure that there even has been a coup".
The Honduran Embassy- okay.... might at least let THEM know where you stand.
Stupid Murkans have yet to do ANYTHING about the coup that has overtaken their own country. It would be unreasonable to expect them to do or say anything about what's going on in some other country that they probably never even heard of. You expect them to actually do something while there is contoversy concerning who will or will not return as a judge on Murkan Idol, who will raise Michael Jackson's children, etc etc etc?
SS,
i appreciate your cynicism, i really do. i feel helpless and hopeless and sold-out and frankly abused by this society, "my representatives", and the manipulated majority that sometimes can't seem to take five minutes in a lifetime to look at what is actually happening and who is actually doing it.
But what then do you recommend? Hondurans are walking to their border, facing likely violence. What are we going to do? Besides gather at Common Dreams for mutual support - how we gonna take it outside this forum?
i don't believe my call to "my representative" is going to suddenly transform his consciousness or priorities, but WE NEED TO MAKE SOME NOISE!
What do you suggest?
Thanks,
webwalk
"nativetongue.miami" on July 24th, 2009 12:51 pm
stated:
"USites: The only solution to YOUR dilemna and to stop the opression and havoc that your government imposes on other countries on this planet is REVOLUTION."
So nativetongue.miami, who would you kill first in your revolution ???
You maybe right that a revolution is the only way to achieve your objectives, but almost all successful revolutions require killing your enemies.
Who exactly are the enemies you would kill ???
ROFL we are well aware of who the front men for these enemies are. They will be the first assault.
Please read my reply at the other article where you posted earlier. I feel your pain and I know that this situation (which encompasses so much more than only the Honduran coup- it encompasses EVERYTHING.)is driving more and more of us to despair.
The answer is demonstrated by the beautiful people of Honduras who are smarter and braver than the soulless, inhuman aberrations that call themselves Murkans. Walk. Converge EN MASSE upon Washington DC and DEMAND that everything be restructured to reflect the well being of PEOPLE. Not corporations. Not the rich. Not "special interests". Demand it upon pain of a FRENCH style revolution. It is the only way that these filthy, degraded vipers will understand: their very existence must be put on the line! It is afterall, what they are doing to the 99%.
US representatives will gladly receive your letter and answer it in due course, with a form letter chosen by a staffer according to the subject matter. In this case it would say something like:
"Dear X:
I share your concern over the events going on in Honduras, and wish to see a peaceful resolution to the constitutional crisis gripping that poor nation. Arbitration efforts and other means to resolve it are ongoing, and we must be patient and wait for an outcome. Meanwhile, I support the proposal by Congressman YY as embodied in House Resolution 2310 to enhance our future ability to help Latin American democracy by distributing copies of the US Constitution in all Latin American High Schools.
Very truly yours,
Congressman U.R. Stuck"
Very well written example form letter from a Congressman.
My experience is that only about one in four are that well written.
Most sound like they were written by some public relations firm to not take a stand on anything.
There are exceptions though, I received one from a gentlemen who had just voted for both Clinton's budget and Clinton's gun control bills in the 93-94 Congress.
His district has been Republican ever since.
But he got elected again in a rich Yuppie district in Western Washington state, so good writing ability and political courage are sometimes rewarded.
Here is the plan for each of us to effect change! It is W4D (A WEEK FOR DEMOCRACY).
Starting Saturday, August 1st there will be an action to NOT purchase any non-essential item. It’s OK to buy gas to get to work and food for your family, but no nights at the movies, no eating out, no new clothes, cars, coffee,doughnuts or new gadgets...for just one week in support of democracy, and then it stops.
Each week that we choose to not purchase is to be for some good cause.
The first week is for single payer health care as that vote and the recess of
Congress for the summer is coming up.
Other weeks will be planned perhaps based on events in the national news, but they will be random and initiated from here. It is up to all of us to spread the word to lists, organizations, friends, relatives, the work place, etc. What you put off buying for one WEEK FOR DEMOCRACY one can buy the next. Another week may be for the end of American aggression, torture and assassination or accountability of war criminals, or the end of corporate personhood.
Democracy is ours to shape, but we need to stand up and make ourselves heard and felt economically. We will not continue as we have been or allow business as usual. Talk to your family and friends and join in W4D August 1st at midnight!
W4D is about being home with those you love and enjoying good food you make yourself to share with others. It's about not going to a sports event, but playing a sport. An empty stadium will catch someone's attention. We will not celebrate consumerism, we will show the strength of the American people as we collectively refuse to buy!
How many W4D’ s will it take before the media catches on? How many weeks will it take for the government to realize that business is not as usual?
W4D August the 1st for Single Payer health care for all!. Show your power, support W4D!
I like that- but it does not go far enough. One week at a time will not affect them at all- they would probably make such actions illegal! One BIG action ~ there are some who would call it a strike~ would do the job. It could be done in conjunction with a massive WALK upon Washington.
USA OUT of other countries' affairs.
Single Payer health care for all.
TERMINATE the "personhood" of corporations.
PROSECUTE / EXECUTE the rogues that made up the previous administration.
CEASE poisoning the environment and destroying the planet.
RETURN the national wealth to the people so that we can
REBUILD our infrastucture as necessary and
REDEVELOPE or REPLACE the old capitalistic system with one that actually works for the good of ALL the people and not just the top 1%. If they wont go for that, ELIMINATE the top 1%.
The exiled, no longer in power, former President of Honduras promised to return to Honduras today.
Instead he has setup a base inside the country of Nicaragua with the help of President Ortega who won the Presidential election in Nicaragua with just 37% of the vote.
Ortega is the communist who ceased power in Nicaragua by force of arms in 1970s and was later driven out and replaced by a multi-party democracy in Nicaragua.
He now calls himself a former communist and a believer in democracy. Through political deal making in Nicaragua he managed to get the laws changed to allow himself to win the Presidency with just 37% of the people supporting him.
The election campaign for the next President of Honduras should be starting in Honduras about now. It is just 4 months until the election to replace whoever is the legal President of Honduras currently.
Like the United States the Constitution of Honduras limits the number of terms a President can serve. In Honduras, where they have a history of Presidents becoming dictators, they limit their Presidents to one term.
Ortega of Nicaragua, the dictator Chavez of Venezuela, and the exiled, no longer in power, President of Honduras want to disrupt campaigning for that election by starting a war in Honduras.
At all costs they want to prevent the people of Honduras from going to the Polls and picking a new President to replace the dictator want to be that has set up a base just outside Honduras.
Socialist militias from Nicaragua and Venezuela will now enter Honduras to lead a war of destruction against the democratic institutions in Honduras. A war waged in the name of democracy and the people.
What a poetic way to start killing the people, the economy and the democracy of Honduras.
Appears you are unable conduct a reasoned argument.
Instead you call names and demand censorship of facts and opinions which do not agree with your political views.
I apologize if my posts cause you emotional distress - that was not my intent.
Ah keep posting RC, I can use a good laugh from your fairy tales.
Always glad to serve.
I am all too willing to conduct reasoned argument. I can even be passionate and rational at the same time, if your oh-so calm and "fact"-based demeanor can handle it.
Let's start with your assertion that Zelaya and Chavez are dictators and undemocratic. Did not both win elections? Chavez put his extension of terms limits to a vote and the people voted in favor. One of his later referendums was actually voted down by the people and he accepted this democratic result. Zelaya was putting out a referendum to see if the people wanted a constitutional change. He wasn't forcing anything on the people or changing the constitution by pure fiat. How can you possibly call this undemocratic? Do you dispute these facts?
The reason why both were subject to military coups is precisely their use of democracy to institute changes that the elites don't want but the mass of people do if they were given a voice.
The late President of Iraq won several elections.
The last two by 99% and 100% if my memory serves.
They were real elections. They had ballot boxes, and ballots and voters and everything.
Obama one an election in the United States by approximately 53% to 47%.
That was a real election too. It had ballot boxes, and ballots and voters and everything.
Were they both democratically elected leaders ???
Were they both dictators ???
The fact that "someone won an election" means very little when it comes to a leader being legitimate and/or the democratic choice of the people.
Things like democratic institutions, freedom of the press, freedom of travel, freedom of association, freedom to campaign mean much more.
Legitimate means followed the rule of law.
Democratic means something else.
Most countries in the world are Republics purporting to following the rule of law.
The Peoples Republic of China for example.
Some of those are democratic republics like the United States.
Some are constitutional Monarchs like Great Britain.
Dictators can spring up in all of these forms of government.
They change the laws to protect the dictatorship or their party's dictatorship.
So what is your point ??? are you claiming the the late President of Iraq, the President of Iran and the President of Venezuela all won at least one election so therefor they can NOT be Dictators ???
If you claiming any such thing then of course you are wrong.
If your asking does history show dictators sometimes win elections - of course they do.
The term dictator has more to do with how someone rules and stays in power than how they first came to power - but all are part of being a dictator.
I completely agree with your point that dictators often use elections to lend an illusion of legitimacy to their power. I think we both agree that, insofar as these "elections" are not free and fair, we shouldn't call them elections or democracies at all.
This is my point: I am challenging you to tell me precisely what undemocratic actions Zelaya undertook such that it justified his forceful overthrow? In my interpretation, the current situation has nothing to do with democracy. The reason behind the coup was that Zelaya was *democratically* threatening the interests of Honduran/US capitalist elites. I don't think you will be able to justify putting Zelaya (and for that matter Chavez) on your list of un-democratic bad guys. I want you to tell me exactly why Zelaya is such a threat to democracy. Are you saying that Zelaya's initial election was a result of an illegitimate process? What it something he did once he was in office? I want to know.
P.S. I really do appreciate your willingness to discuss your views. I hope you're also willing to adjust to the truth because you ARE mistaken about the what is going on in Latin America.
Grammatical mistakes aside - "ceasing" power by force of arms? - this comment is unimaginatively trapped in cold war ideology. What kind of language can be used to demonize those elected "dictators" like Chavez who use democratic channels to advance leftist/populist political goals? This creates a real rhetoric problem doesn't it? Too bad there is no automatic correlation between the politics of the left and political dictatorship - it was Marx himself who said an important step towards communism is to win the battle of democracy. Here is the problem for rc_phoenix: true democracy looks to interest of all people; capitalism advances the interests of a few on the backs of the rest; thus, if true democracy actually takes hold (as it is starting to in Latin America) it must necessarily come against the interest of capital.
It is fine if you disagree with the left but please give us an actual critique not anachronistic drivel. You should be making the exact opposite argument: these leaders are TOO democratic. How dare they ask the people what they want? Maybe they want to raise the minimum wage or to get rid of our military bases? You may legitimately see this as an attack on the US's/Chiquita's strategic interest but it is NOT anti-democratic. You might argue against a Marxian definition of democracy as dictatorship of the proletariat. Please come correct or shut the hell up.
Sorry, but I am one of those who believe the truth stands even when the politically correct fads come and go.
Just so I know how to categorize myself, of what politically correct fad am I blinded by? I mention Marx but that can't be it. Since when is he politically correct? Isn't Marxism a term of abuse that signals all manner of godless tyranny?
Also, where can I go to get the real truth.
.
Well said!
Yes, it seems the commondreams ministry of truth has censored all inaccuracy ... we are now left with the emperor's new poem.
Actually, I just could not figure out how to delete a post that belonged as a reply, not a stand alone post.
Sorry to get your hopes up :)
The Red Scare stuff from RC is prototypical Latin American Rightist drivel. The golpistas have next to no support in Latin America though.
Vaya con Dios, Manuel and the rest of your party--Vaya con Dios
Poet
Just for the record I am justly fearfull of dictators of all types:
Shia-Theocrats in Iran.
State Capitalism Communist Elites in China.
Neo-Fascists in Russia.
Military-Socialists in Venezuela.
Royal-Wahhabi in Saudi Arabia.
You name it.
What are your feelings toward the fascists with their iron grip on the USA?
I hope this doesn't serve as a reply to my earnest request for a rational discussion (see below). What exactly is a "military-socialist" dictatorship and how does it apply to Chavez? Wasn't it the *military* that led the unsuccessful coup attempt against him?
How do you feel about the dictatorship of trans-national capitalism?
Interesting that you do not mention Jewish Nationalism or US nationalism as being anything that you are opposed to, RC? Apparently US imperialist dictatorship over the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq and the Jewish State occupation (dictatorship perhaps?) of Palestine bother you not in the least. But that's because behind your supposed 'libertarianism' really lurks nothing more than a typical Right Winger's attraction to authoritarianism, imperialism, and fascism.
I believe your are seriously confused about the meaning of the words:
dictatorship, and,
occupation.
One could argue that the areas around the country of Israel are occupied by the armies of the country of Israel.
The Hamas government is certainly not a dictatorship set up by Israel - according to the Hamas government it is at war with Israel - Hamas also claims Israel is not even a country - just a foreign occupier of the land the UN recognizes as the country of Israel.
The same goes for the PLO government - they are negotiating a peace treaty with Israel, a country the PLO represents as being their enemy since 1948.
While it is debatable, one could probably argue that there has not been a government in Afghanistan that is both functional and recognized by the UN since the Soviet Invasion. If you have no government you can have no dictatorship.
Parts of Afghanistan have been occupied by various countries, religious sects and war lords, since the Soviet invasion.
Honduran army shuts border as Zelaya plans return ,,,
So much for CAFTA.
To paraphrase a US Supreme Court Justice:
"CAFTA is a Free Trade Agreement - not a suicide pact."
alonzo zilch on July 24th, 2009 2:37 pm
ask me a myriad of questions and made a myriad of claims regarding my posts.
We will address them one at a time as time permits:
alonzo zilch wrote "your assertion that Zelda" is "dictator ..."
First I do not believe the exiled, want to be dictator, formerly President of Honduras, Zelaya , now residing in a camp in Nicaragua is a dictator. I also believe I only referred to him as a want to be dictator.
Regardless of how I referred to him, he clearly is not a dictator because you can neither dictate laws or any thing else in Honduras when you are out of power and sitting in a remote camp in another country.
Just as clearly he on occasion attempted to act as a dictator when he was in the position of President.
He was elected to the position of President as defined by the Constitution of Honduras with only those powers he was granted by the Constitution. The people did not elect him dictator, they elected him to those limited powers the President is granted by the Constitution of Honduras.
Like most constitutions of democratic republics the Presidential powers are limited to executing laws passed by Congress, not making up your own laws or decrees.
In addition, like most Presidents he is required to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress and his duties under the constitution. He took a solem oath to do precisely that.
The power to pass laws is granted exclusively to the Congress by the constitution.
The power to set the rules of elections is given to Congress by the Constitution.
The power to interpret the constitution of Honduras is given solely to the Supreme Court of Honduras, not the President.
The power of the purse is given exclusively to the Congress under the Honduras constitution.
The power to conduct an election was bestowed by the constitution and laws passed by congress in specific government agencies, not the Presidency.
The then President Zelaya dictated that he not the agency specified by the constitution and law would conduct an election.
The then President Zelaya dictated that a Supreme Court order interpreting the election as barred by the Constitution should be ignored by the executive branch.
The then President Zelaya dictated that a law passed by Congress prohibiting the election so close to a Presidential election was unconstitutional.
The then President Zelaya dictated the executive branch of government should ignore a decision and an order by the Supreme Court of Honduras that the same law was valid and should be followed by all executive agencies.
The then President Zelaya dictated that all government funds authorized by Congress for cities and towns should be cut off to any city that would not cooperate with his election.
The then President Zelaya authorized a mob to storm a government building and take ballots that had been ordered seized and secured by the Supreme Court.
President Zelaya is clearly not a dictator because the other democratic institutions of the democratic republic of Honduras have prevented him from carrying out his dictates.
A dictator who can not dictate is NOT a dictator.
OK RC, after that nice over-simplified Honduran civics lesson and important clarification that a dictator cannot be a dictator unless they are in power, we finally get down to the facts of the case.
Zelaya was legitimately elected in Nov, 2005 by a close 4 point margin. Fast forward to June 2008 and the action that prompted the coup. Zelaya wanted to insert the following question on the ballot of upcoming elections: "Do you agree that, during the general elections of November 2009 there should be a fourth ballot to decide whether to hold a Constituent National Assembly that will approve a new political constitution?" (As Laurenceofberk noted above this has NOTHING to do with extending term limits so please disabuse yourself of this inane argument) As a defender of democracy, I think you would agree that there is nothing inherently wrong with asking the people if they are open to a future discussion about democratically reworking the constitution. The justification for the coup was therefore not the content of Zelaya's proposal - to do so would be manifestly Undemocratic - but a procedural complaint that this question could not be inserted on the election ballot. The Honduran courts ruled that this procedure was unconstitutional and this is what set off the confrontation.
So it seems the key factual issue is whether or not Zelaya's ballot question violated the Honduran constitution. You seem to think this is a clear-cut issue but it is not. After doing a bit of searching this is the most thorough analysis I found: [http://hondurascoup2009.blogspot.com/2009/07/as-we-watch-and-wait-revisiting.html] Read it for yourself - the gist of it is that the Honduran constitution never explicitly prohibited inserting polling questions on the ballot. The Honduran congress rushed through a law on June 24 that made polling within 6 months of the election suddenly illegal. This was then the ostensible legal basis on which a lower Honduran ruled against Zelaya's ballot question and which the supreme court later upheld. I would say that THIS is an undemocratic practice. ON closer look Zelaya's supposed procedural violation of the constitution appears a little trumped up and one can see why he would push back against it. One can also see why the ruling elites would want to block Zelaya's push for constitutional change.
You would have us think that the constitution was completely clear on this issue and Zelaya, in a spasm of dictatorial hubris, decided to just flaunt it. What else could its defenders do but rise in defense of this wanton attack on the innocent constitution? I think you are wrong about this and that an objective look at Zelaya shows that he is obviously not a dictator. At the very least - given the ambiguity and last-minute changes surrounding Zelaya's supposed attack on the constitution - do you really think his attempt to insert a poll question justifies his forceful ouster? Isn't that just a little bit of an extreme reaction to someone who just wants to ask a question of his constituents? Maybe someone was scared that this asking-the-people-what-they-want might be bad for business.
The fight against the coup and for democracy in Honduras must really have some folks scared.
Every time an article is published, somebody seems compelled to empower themselves to dominate the comment thread and steer it toward a distracting argument over "Zelaya bad vs. Zelaya good".
To even engage with them is a mistake that I wish fewer people were making.
---
Anyway, the coup plotters stand almost completely isolated against the rest of the Globe now. Also, Zelaya seems determined to figurehead a non-violent struggle for democracy. I wonder how long the U.S. State Department and Pentagon (and CIA et al.) will be able to get away with their current lip-service in support of Honduran Democracy, when everyone knows that even the smallest action on their part could end the coup regime tomorrow?
This is definitely a key battle in the struggle for democracy in the Americas (including el Norte), and happily, it looks like the cards are finally stacked in our favor.
The real question is:
Will there be an election for a new President of Honduras under peaceful conditions and under the current democratic constitution of Honduras four months from now.
Or will the election be delayed by war and the constitution changed by allies of the dictator in Venezuela before the next election.
All the rest of this is just propaganda, tactics and noise.
This is no more a Democracy movement by Venezuela, Nicarauga and the former President of Honduras than the late President's last election to the Presidency of Iraq was.
We have yet to see which side Obama is on.
THE COUP REGIME IS AN ASSAULT ON DEMOCRACY. HERE'S HOW WE KNOW.
1. LYING PROPAGANDA. The coup regime, and their US media allies, keep repeating that Zelaya want to extend his term. "But the actual question of the aborted referendum read: "Do you think that the 2009 general elections should include a fourth ballot in order to make a decision about the creation of a National Constitutional Assembly that would approve a new constitution?"
There was absolutely nothing in it to indicate that Zelaya was seeking second term!"
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/4656
If there had been a referendum to set up a constitutional assembly, Zelaya would have been out of office long before it could have written anything. So the "would be dictator" claim is just a BIG LIE.
2. SUPPRESSION OF FREE PRESS. The coup regime has been closing down opposition newspapers and radio. Zelaya never did that.
3. CURFEWS and SUPPRESSION OF DEMONSTRATIONS
4. MURDER OF DEMONSTRATORS AND DISSIDENTS.
So please Mr. rc_phoenix, when you make accusations of dictatorship, look more carefully at the facts.
matti on July 24th, 2009 5:04 pm
said
" a distracting argument over 'Zelaya bad vs. Zelaya good' "
Sorry, but some of us believe it is an important issue to the people of Honduras and to the people of the United States if the next leader of Honduras is "bad vs good".
The world does not need more dictator driven countries like Iran, Venezuela and North Korea.
Neither do the poor people of Honduras.
May democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya be successful in his return to administering the government of Honduras.
His wisdom is matching his courage.