Honduran Military Ousts President

[QueEx]

<font size="4">

Military in Honduras Ousts President</font size>

- In this June 25, 2009, file photo, Honduras' President
Manuel Zelaya, center, talks with supporters after a
news conference at the presidential house in Tegucigal-
pa. Soldiers arrested Zelaya Sunday, June 28, 2009, and
taken him to an air force base just before voting was to
begin on a disputed constitutional election, Zelaya's
private secretary said. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)
(Esteban Felix - AP)



<font size="3">
Soldiers stormed the presidential palace in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa at dawn Sunday and forced President Manuel Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica. The military-led ouster sparked a regional crisis that thrusts the impoverished banana-growing country onto the international stage and revives painful memories of coup-fueled turmoil in Latin America.</font size>


<font size="4">The President's Supporters</font size>

Supporters of Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya shout
slogans during a rally in Tegucigalpa, Saturday, June 27,
2009. President Zelaya enlisted government employees
and his supporters Saturday to set up polling stations
for a rogue referendum that opponents depicted as a
power grab by the leftist leader. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
(Esteban Felix - AP)

A supporter of Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya holds
up a banner that reads in Spanish "say yes to the refer-
endum" in Tegucigalpa, Saturday, June 27, 2009. With
backing from Cuba's leader Fidel Castro and Venezuela's
President Hugo Chavez, Zelaya pushed ahead Friday with
a referendum on revamping the constitution, risking his
rule in a standoff against Congress, the Supreme Court
and the military. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) (Esteban Felix
- AP)​

<font size="4">The Controversy</font size>

At least in part:

• <font size="3">Hondurans prepared to vote Sunday in a nonbinding referendum asking them whether they would support a constituent assembly to rewrite their constitution. </font size>

• <font size="3">President Zelaya's critics said he wanted to use the referendum to open the door to reelection after his term ends in January 2010, an assertion that he denied. </font size>

• <font size="3">The referendum -- which U.S. officials described as more of a "survey" than a true vote -- was condemned by broad swaths of Honduran society as an obvious power grab. </font size>

• <font size="3">The Honduran Supreme Court called the referendum unconstitutional, and leaders of Zelaya's own party denounced the measure.
  
  • <font size="3"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Zelaya, a leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez</span> </font size>

• 
  
  
  
  <font size="4">The Reaction</font size></font size>
  
  
  • <font size="3">President Obama: "As the Organization of American States did on Friday, I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter,"
    
    "Any existing tensions and disputes must be resolved peacefully through dialogue free from any outside interference," he said</font size>
  • <font size="3">President Barack Obama called Sunday for "all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter" as the Central American crisis unfolded.
    
    For those conditions to be met, Zelaya must be returned to power, U.S. officials said.
    
    Knowing trouble was brewing in Honduras over several weeks, the Obama administration warned power players there, including the armed forces, that the United States and other nations in the Americas would not support or abide a coup, officials said. They said Honduran military leaders stopped taking their calls. </font size>
  
  
  • <font size="3">President Chavez: Venezuela's President Hugo <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Chavez on Sunday put troops on alert</span> over a coup in Honduras and <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">said he would respond militarily if his envoy to the Central American country was kidnapped or killed</span>. </font size>
  
  
  • <font size="3">Chavez said Honduran soldiers took away the Cuban ambassador and left the Venezuelan ambassador on the side of a road after beating him during the army's coup against his leftist ally, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.</font size>
  • <font size="3">Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a Zelaya ally, put his armed forces on alert and threatened to overthrow leaders of the Honduran coup.
    
    </font size>

 

[QueEx]

<font size="4">
The History:

</font size>

 

[QueEx]

<font size="4">
The Military</font size>

<center>Gen. Romeo Vasquez, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fired by Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya late
Wednesday for refusing to support a referendum, is seen during a protest in Tegucigalpa, Friday, June
26, 2009. With backing from Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, President Zelaya pushed ahead Friday with
a referendum on revamping the constitution, risking his rule in a stand off against Congress, the Supreme
Court and the military. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) (Esteban Felix - AP)</center>

 

[Panameno718]

Coup d'Etat Underway in Honduras: OBAMA’S FIRST COUP D’ETAT

President Zelaya of Honduras has just been kidnapped

[Note: As of 11:15am, Caracas time, President Zelaya is speaking live on Telesur from San Jose, Costa Rica. He has verified the soldiers entered his residence in the early morning hours, firing guns and threatening to kill him and his family if he resisted the coup. He was forced to go with the soldiers who took him to the air base and flew him to Costa Rica. He has requested the U.S. Government make a public statement condemning the coup, otherwise, it will indicate their compliance.]

Caracas, Venezuela - The text message that beeped on my cell phone this morning read “Alert, Zelaya has been kidnapped, coup d’etat underway in Honduras, spread the word.” It’s a rude awakening for a Sunday morning, especially for the millions of Hondurans that were preparing to exercise their sacred right to vote today for the first time on a consultative referendum concerning the future convening of a constitutional assembly to reform the constitution. Supposedly at the center of the controversary is today’s scheduled referendum, which is not a binding vote but merely an opinion poll to determine whether or not a majority of Hondurans desire to eventually enter into a process to modify their constitution.

Such an initiative has never taken place in the Central American nation, which has a very limited constitution that allows minimal participation by the people of Honduras in their political processes. The current constitution, written in 1982 during the height of the Reagan Administration’s dirty war in Central America, was designed to ensure those in power, both economic and political, would retain it with little interference from the people. Zelaya, elected in November 2005 on the platform of Honduras’ Liberal Party, had proposed the opinion poll be conducted to determine if a majority of citizens agreed that constitutional reform was necessary. He was backed by a majority of labor unions and social movements in the country. If the poll had occured, depending on the results, a referendum would have been conducted during the upcoming elections in November to vote on convening a constitutional assembly. Nevertheless, today’s scheduled poll was not binding by law.

In fact, several days before the poll was to occur, Honduras’ Supreme Court ruled it illegal, upon request by the Congress, both of which are led by anti-Zelaya majorities and members of the ultra-conservative party, National Party of Honduras (PNH). This move led to massive protests in the streets in favor of President Zelaya. On June 24, the president fired the head of the high military command, General Romeo Vásquez, after he refused to allow the military to distribute the electoral material for Sunday’s elections. General Romeo Vásquez held the material under tight military control, refusing to release it even to the president’s followers, stating that the scheduled referendum had been determined illegal by the Supreme Court and therefore he could not comply with the president’s order. As in the Unted States, the president of Honduras is Commander in Chief and has the final say on the military’s actions, and so he ordered the General’s removal. The Minister of Defense, Angel Edmundo Orellana, also resigned in response to this increasingly tense situation.

But the following day, Honduras’ Supreme Court reinstated General Romeo Vásquez to the high military command, ruling his firing as “unconstitutional’. Thousands poured into the streets of Honduras’ capital, Tegucigalpa, showing support for President Zelaya and evidencing their determination to ensure Sunday’s non-binding referendum would take place. On Friday, the president and a group of hundreds of supporters, marched to the nearby air base to collect the electoral material that had been previously held by the military. That evening, Zelaya gave a national press conference along with a group of politicians from different political parties and social movements, calling for unity and peace in the country.

As of Saturday, the situation in Honduras was reported as calm. But early Sunday morning, a group of approximately 60 armed soldiers entered the presidential residence and took Zelaya hostage. After several hours of confusion, reports surfaced claiming the president had been taken to a nearby air force base and flown to neighboring Costa Rica. No images have been seen of the president so far and it is unknown whether or not his life is still endangered.

President Zelaya’s wife, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, speaking live on Telesur at approximately 10:00am Caracas time, denounced that in early hours of Sunday morning, the soldiers stormed their residence, firing shots throughout the house, beating and then taking the president. “It was an act of cowardness”, said the first lady, referring to the illegal kidnapping occuring during a time when no one would know or react until it was all over. Casto de Zelaya also called for the “preservation” of her husband’s life, indicating that she herself is unaware of his whereabouts. She claimed their lives are all still in “serious danger” and made a call for the international community to denounce this illegal coup d’etat and to act rapidly to reinstate constitutional order in the country, which includes the rescue and return of the democratically elected Zelaya.

Presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia and Hugo Chávez of Venezuela have both made public statements on Sunday morning condeming the coup d’etat in Honduras and calling on the international community to react to ensure democracy is restored and the constitutional president is reinstated. Last Wednesday, June 24, an extraordinary meeting of the member nations of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), of which Honduras is a member, was convened in Venezuela to welcome Ecuador, Antigua & Barbados and St. Vincent to its ranks. During the meeting, which was attended by Honduras’ Foreign Minister, Patricia Rodas, a statement was read supporting President Zelaya and condenming any attempts to undermine his mandate and Honduras’ democratic processes.

Reports coming out of Honduras have informed that the public television channel, Canal 8, has been shut down by the coup forces. Just minutes ago, Telesur announced that the military in Honduras is shutting down all electricity throughout the country. Those television and radio stations still transmitting are not reporting the coup d’etat or the kidnapping of President Zelaya, according to Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas. “Telephones and electricity are being cut off”, confirmed Rodas just minutes ago via Telesur. “The media are showing cartoons and soap operas and are not informing the people of Honduras about what is happening”. The situation is eerily reminiscent of the April 2002 coup d’etat against President Chávez in Venezuela, when the media played a key role by first manipulating information to support the coup and then later blacking out all information when the people began protesting and eventually overcame and defeated the coup forces, rescuing Chávez (who had also been kidnapped by the military) and restoring constitutional order.

Honduras is a nation that has been the victim of dictatorships and massive U.S. intervention during the past century, including several military invasions. The last major U.S. government intervention in Honduras occured during the 1980s, when the Reagain Administration funded death squads and paramilitaries to eliminate any potential “communist threats” in Central America. At the time, John Negroponte, was the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras and was responsible for directly funding and training Honduran death squads that were responsable for thousands of disappeared and assassinated throughout the region.

On Friday, the Organization of American States (OAS), convened a special meeting to discuss the crisis in Honduras, later issuing a statement condeming the threats to democracy and authorizing a convoy of representatives to travel to OAS to investigate further. Nevertheless, on Friday, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, Phillip J. Crowley, refused to clarify the U.S. government’s position in reference to the potential coup against President Zelaya, and instead issued a more ambiguous statement that implied Washington’s support for the opposition to the Honduran president. While most other Latin American governments had clearly indicated their adamant condemnation of the coup plans underway in Honduras and their solid support for Honduras’ constitutionally elected president, Manual Zelaya, the U.S. spokesman stated the following, “We are concerned about the breakdown in the political dialogue among Honduran politicians over the proposed June 28 poll on constitutional reform. We urge all sides to seek a consensual democratic resolution in the current political impasse that adheres to the Honduran constitution and to Honduran laws consistent with the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.”

As of 10:30am, Sunday morning, no further statements have been issued by the Washington concerning the military coup in Honduras. The Central American nation is highly dependent on the U.S. economy, which ensures one of its top sources of income, the monies sent from Hondurans working in the U.S. under the “temporary protected status” program that was implemented during Washington’s dirty war in the 1980s as a result of massive immigration to U.S. territory to escape the war zone. Another major source of funding in Honduras is USAID, providing over US$ 50 millon annually for “democracy promotion” programs, which generally supports NGOs and political parties favorable to U.S. interests, as has been the case in Venezuela, Bolivia and other nations in the region. The Pentagon also maintains a military base in Honduras in Soto Cano, equipped with approximately 500 troops and numerous air force combat planes and helicopters.

Foreign Minister Rodas has stated that she has repeatedly tried to make contact with the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras, Hugo Llorens, who has not responded to any of her calls thus far. The modus operandi of the coup makes clear that Washington is involved. Neither the Honduran military, which is majority trained by U.S. forces, nor the political and economic elite, would act to oust a democratically elected president without the backing and support of the U.S. government. President Zelaya has increasingly come under attack by the conservative forces in Honduras for his growing relationship with the ALBA countries, and particularly Venezuela and President Chávez. Many believe the coup has been executed as a method of ensuring Honduras does not continue to unify with the more leftist and socialist countries in Latin America.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14152

 

[Imhotep]

Re: Coup d'Etat Underway in Honduras: OBAMA’S FIRST COUP D’ETAT

Did I miss something how is Obama involved? Because of this statement?

Honduras is a nation that has been the victim of dictatorships and massive U.S. intervention during the past century, including several military invasions. The last major U.S. government intervention in Honduras occured during the 1980s, when the Reagain Administration funded death squads and paramilitaries to eliminate any potential “communist threats” in Central America.

 

[Imhotep]

 

[gonzo8402]

Re: Coup d'Etat Underway in Honduras: OBAMA’S FIRST COUP D’ETAT

Did I miss something how is Obama involved? Because of this statement?

yeah, he's not very good at this coup stuff..

Earlier, US President Barack Obama described his removal as a "coup"....Mr Obama said he would work with the OAS to restore Mr Zelaya to office.
link

 

[Imhotep]

Re: Coup d'Etat Underway in Honduras: OBAMA’S FIRST COUP D’ETAT

yeah, he's not very good at this coup stuff..

Props...

 

[cthomas0964]

From what I read he was trying to do some illegal shit. If their congress and supreme court ordered the military to act then its not a coup. I did a 'Colin Powell' reading some stuff about their constitution. He was trying to circumvent congress by hold a referendum to change the constitution. Then when the military would not hold the election because then deemed it illegal he fired the head of the military. Its a very long read.. Maybe I am missing something but it looked like they were justified in removing him.

 

[QueEx]

From what I read he was trying to do some illegal shit. If their congress and supreme court ordered the military to act then its not a coup. I did a 'Colin Powell' reading some stuff about their constitution. He was trying to circumvent congress by hold a referendum to change the constitution. Then when the military would not hold the election because then deemed it illegal he fired the head of the military. Its a very long read.. Maybe I am missing something but it looked like they were justified in removing him.

You should know better than to colin powell read, and comment on this board. LOL

If he was doing something illegal; wasn't there a legal way to remove him ???

Did they ???

QueEx

 

[actinanass]

I find it funny that Obama would "meddle" in this situation, but basically ignores the Iran situation. Yet, "meddles" with Israel.....

Some kind of foreign policy...

 

[gonzo8402]

I find it funny that Obama would "meddle" in this situation, but basically ignores the Iran situation. Yet, "meddles" with Israel.....

Some kind of foreign policy...

wtf is meddle? He's standing with the rest of the international community on Honduras. He's not going out and talking wildness about forcibly putting Zelaya back in power.

The US was already the bad guy in the Iran situation, so he kept his distance and denounced that. Did you want him to start bombing over there?

And with Israel, the meddling he's doing is trying to calm Netenyahu down. Leave it up to Benjamin and there might be another war over there...

 

[cthomas0964]

You should know better than to colin powell read, and comment on this board. LOL

If he was doing something illegal; wasn't there a legal way to remove him ???

Did they ???

QueEx

I read the article posted and I looked in other places. The military did remove him after being ordered to by the congress and the supreme court. In that country the military also runs elections. Not saying if its right or wrong but that their laws.

 

[actinanass]

wtf is meddle? He's standing with the rest of the international community on Honduras. He's not going out and talking wildness about forcibly putting Zelaya back in power.

The US was already the bad guy in the Iran situation, so he kept his distance and denounced that. Did you want him to start bombing over there?

And with Israel, the meddling he's doing is trying to calm Netenyahu down. Leave it up to Benjamin and there might be another war over there...

Say what you wanna say.....

 

[QueEx]

Re: Coup d'Etat Underway in Honduras: OBAMA’S FIRST COUP D’ETAT

Did I miss something how is Obama involved? Because of this statement?

Honduras is a nation that has been the victim of dictatorships and massive U.S. intervention during the past century, including several military invasions. The last major U.S. government intervention in Honduras occured during the 1980s, when the Reagain Administration funded death squads and paramilitaries to eliminate any potential “communist threats” in Central America.

According to Chavez, maybe so . . .


<font size="5"><center>Chavez blames U.S., not Obama,
for Honduras 'junta' </font size></center>


The HIll
By Bridget Johnson
July 6, 2009


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged President Obama to take a "clear stance" on deposed Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya, who reportedly is to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton this week.

Zelaya attempted to take a flight from Dulles International Airport to the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa on Sunday, but his plane was not allowed to land and he eventually flew to more friendly territory in Nicaragua en route to El Salvador.

While carefully declining to blame Obama for the Zelaya overthrow and aftermath, Chavez did blame the United States for the turmoil, claiming that "the Honduran military junta is supported by the Yankee Empire."

In an interview with TeleSUR, a Caracas-based network launched by Chavez to carry a "Bolivarian" message, Chavez said, "It would be good to hear the president of the United States voicing a clear stance, because it all has been cut-and-thrust."

Calling those who deposed Zelaya "a group of gorillas," Chavez said the U.S. must be backing them — "otherwise, they would not act the way they are acting."

"I am not saying that they have the support of Obama because I believe he is more like a prisoner of the Empire," said Chavez, who commonly uses the term to refer to the U.S.

Zelaya is expected in Washington on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. On Monday, Kelly renewed the State Department's call for the return of Zelaya to power, calling it the restoration of "democratic order."

Kelly added that the State Department was still weighing whether the ouster met the definition of a coup that would result in a cut-off of U.S. aid. "We are still in the ongoing process of determining whether the law applies, but we're not inclined to make a statutory decision while diplomatic initiatives are ongoing," Kelly said.

In a conference call with reporters on Sunday, senior administration officials confirmed that Zelaya had met with U.S. officials on Saturday before departing from Dulles. "We have maintained a very close communication with Zelaya, and we have high-level consultations that will begin in Washington should Zelaya return," one of the officials said.

Chavez has interjected himself in the Honduras crisis since it began. Zelaya was ousted for pushing a constitutional referendum that would remove the current limit of one presidential term, and Chavez twice pushed a referendum — the second time successfully — removing presidential term limits.

"President Chavez has been quite outspoken in his defense of President Zelaya," one of the administration officials on the conference call said. "But so have all the other leaders of the hemisphere. And at this point, we have not seen any Venezuelan action that has been inconsistent with the larger effort by the OAS [Organization of American States] to restore democratic and constitutional order to Honduras."

Chavez has hatched conspiracy theories about U.S. involvement in the overthrow while simultaneously urging Zelaya to try to speak with Obama, saying last week that the American president's support would "deliver a major blow" to Honduras's interim government.

In the TeleSUR interview, Chavez added, "How is it possible that the military junta, which is the spitting image of the Yankee Empire, is challenging the world, as if it were Israel?"


http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/chavez-blames-u.s.-not-obama-for-honduras-junta-2009-07-06.html