Unrest in Honduras flared today as protesters spared with police over the recent exile of President Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya was ousted over the weekend by the Honduran military after disagreements among officials about a controversial constitutional referendum Zelaya had asked Hondurans to vote on last Sunday. The referendum would have changed the constitution to allow Zelaya an additional term as president — a move some have argued looks suspiciously close to the referendum Hugo Chavez proposed for Venezuela in 2007.
Amnesty International has issued a press release on the crisis arguing that President Zelaya must be allowed to return to Honduras immediately and safely. Amnesty also raised concerns about the safety of protesters and increased media censorship.
Interestingly, the Obama administration has tepidly stood on the side of leftist Zelaya — arguing that his exile was illegal and he should be reinstated to office immediately, a stance shared with Chavez. But as Paul Richter of the Los Angles Times points out, the U.S. has not gone so far as to remove its ambassadors from Honduras or declare the incident a coup d’etat.
However, I think Obama made a great statement today that shows some insight into U.S.-Latin American relations when he said, “The United States has not always stood as it should with some of these fledgling democracies, but over the last several years I think both Republicans and Democrats in the United States have recognized that we always want to stand with democracy, even if the results don’t always mean that the leaders of those countries are favorable towards the United States.”
As AI stated in their press release, I hope that this crisis will get resolved quickly and peacefully but am ready to roll up my sleeves and start writing letters if the situation gets worse.
I am living in Nicaragua. Yesterday something completely new happened in Latin America: every country in the hemisphere sent its president or canciller to Managua for a meeting of ALBA, SICA (Central American grouping) or the Rio Group. Some 30 speeches were made, and every country in the hemisphere denounced the golpe in Honduras and insisted that Manuel Zelaya is the only president of Honduras. Never before in history has there been such solidarity among the peoples of Latin America.
Today Zelaya will address the General Assembly of the UN in New York and a gathering of the OAS in DC. He has announced that he will return to Honduras on Thursday, accompanied by Sec. General of the OAS Insulsa and a delegations of LA presidents (yet to be announced).
It is important for the Obama administration to denounce the golpe in more energetic terms and, better yet, follow the example of Mexico, Brazil, Peru and a dozen other countries and withdraw its ambassador.
I am living in Nicaragua. Yesterday something completely new happened in Latin America: every country in the hemisphere sent its president or canciller to Managua for a meeting of ALBA, SICA (Central American grouping) or the Rio Group. Some 30 speeches were made, and every country in the hemisphere denounced the golpe in Honduras and insisted that Manuel Zelaya is the only president of Honduras. Never before in history has there been such solidarity among the peoples of Latin America.
Today Zelaya will address the General Assembly of the UN in New York and a gathering of the OAS in DC. He has announced that he will return to Honduras on Thursday, accompanied by Sec. General of the OAS Insulsa and a delegations of LA presidents (yet to be announced).
It is important for the Obama administration to denounce the golpe in more energetic terms and, better yet, follow the example of Mexico, Brazil, Peru and a dozen other countries and withdraw its ambassador.
On one side we have Zelaya tried to change the constitution, on the other we have the congress, the suprem court, and the military. And Zelaya made the first move to dictatorship by firing the general for no good reason! And so the other side responsed by remove him!! Who cares about the foreign countries, let the Hodurans handle their own problem!! Human Rights go to Venezula and do some thing about Chavez!!
Obama respects the Sovereign of Iran under dictatorship!! His support for Zelaya is not a surprise any more!!
On one side we have Zelaya tried to change the constitution, on the other we have the congress, the suprem court, and the military. And Zelaya made the first move to dictatorship by firing the general for no good reason! And so the other side responsed by remove him!! Who cares about the foreign countries, let the Hodurans handle their own problem!! Human Rights go to Venezula and do some thing about Chavez!!
Obama respects the Sovereign of Iran under dictatorship!! His support for Zelaya is not a surprise any more!!
Hi Kate,
I am not part of an official Amnesty group but would like to help. Let me know how I can do that
Hi Kate,
I am not part of an official Amnesty group but would like to help. Let me know how I can do that
The referendum was not to change the constitution that is a lie; the referendum was a "sondeo" or a poll to see if the people of Honduras would like to change the constitution to
1- Re-elect a president (in the future this do not include Zelaya)
2- Support education and less the military (this is the real reason of the coup)
3- Increase the minimum wage from $150 a month to $205
The referendum was not to change the constitution that is a lie; the referendum was a “sondeo” or a poll to see if the people of Honduras would like to change the constitution to
1- Re-elect a president (in the future this do not include Zelaya)
2- Support education and less the military (this is the real reason of the coup)
3- Increase the minimum wage from $150 a month to $205
Both Chancellor Adolph Hitler and Socialist President Hugo Chavez were elected through democratic governments before they became dictators.
Any determined individual can manipulate a democracy into a dictatorship if you allow him too.
Both Chancellor Adolph Hitler and Socialist President Hugo Chavez were elected through democratic governments before they became dictators.
Any determined individual can manipulate a democracy into a dictatorship if you allow him too.