During the course of his presidential campaign, Barack Obama criticized U.S. policy towards Latin America. He accused our country of arrogance and decried a century of American bullying in the region. When he spoke to a Cuban-American audience in Miami on September 23, 2008, he said:
“An alliance of the Americas will only succeed if it is founded on a bedrock of mutual respect. It’s time to turn the page on the arrogance in Washington and the anti-Americanism across the region that stands in the way of progress. It’s time to listen to one another and to learn from one another.”
After the elections, his policy towards the region has taken a very different character. In effect, he has engaged in a course of selective bullying in a way that can only be explained as favoritism towards the left-wing authoritarian rulers, and antagonism towards moderate democratic governments. This strange behavior, evidenced in his handling of the Honduras constitutional crisis, is in sharp contrast to his words in 
the Miami speech, in which he sought to reassure his audience about his intentions:
“And we know that freedom across our hemisphere must go beyond elections. In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez is a democratically elected leader. But we also know that he does not govern democratically. He talks of the people, but his actions just serve his own power.
. . .“We must put forward a vision of democracy that goes beyond the ballot box. We should increase our support for strong legislatures, independent judiciaries, free press, vibrant civil society, honest police forces, religious freedom, and the rule of law. That is how we can support democracy that is strong and sustainable not just on an election day, but in the day to day lives of the people of the Americas."
While candidate Obama denounced Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez as an undemocratic leader, President Obama embraces him – and the rest of the petty dictators allied with Chavez under the ALBA organization – in their demand for the reinstatement of Mel Zelaya to the presidency of Honduras; and while candidate Obama supported strong legislatures and independent judiciaries, President Obama pressures the Honduran Congress and Supreme Court to disregard their constitution, their laws and their judicial process in order to benefit someone who used the presidency to serve his own power.
To date, the Chavez-dominated Organization of American States, with President Obama’s complicity, has been unable to shake the will of the Honduran government, even after several hostile moves. The Hondurans have weathered suspension from the OAS, cut-offs of American and international aid, the revocation of U.S. entry visas of government officials, attempts at blockades, and even threats of military action. After all, the term of office of deposed President Zelaya would have expired next January and, under the nation’s constitution, he cannot seek re-election. The presidential campaign for a successor is already underway, with six candidates vying for the post. The most reasonable course for the United States would be to provide full support for the electoral process and provide all needed assistance to insure that the elections are fair, free and transparent, as the government of Honduras has promised.
Instead, the United States is backing an effort to make certain that free elections don’t take place in Honduras. The latest U.S.-backed OAS move has been to summon all Honduran presidential candidates to travel to Costa Rica and meet with that country’s president, Oscar Arias, who has been acting as the inter-American organization’s “mediator.” Mr. Arias’ purpose is to warn the candidates that, unless Mr. Zelaya is reinstated to the presidency, the OAS will not recognize the winner as the legitimate president of Honduras. Clearly, this threat to the candidates is aimed at pressuring them to withdraw from the process. The latest anti-Honduras tactic, if successful would undermine democracy, rather than advance it. The Obama Administration’s complicity in such a charade is troubling, although not unexpected. Obama’s foreign policy has been consistent in its hostility to our traditional friends and appeasement of our sworn enemies. It is doing an enormous amount of damage to our credibility as a reliable ally in a very dangerous world.
(Above right: President Obama shakes hands with Hugo Chavez. AP photo.)
Chavez welcomes U.S. aid cut-off to Honduras
Comments
Thank you.
Here we go again. Why you restless americans so afraid of chavez. His power could not reach any further beyond venezuela's border much more a character in the Honduras issue. The real issue is: There will be no clean election in Honduras for as long the coup government is there. Of course, they will do everything to sustain there power in order to avoid future presecution. Its pure logic...dont you get it.
this writer really sucks...he should be fired for lack of common sense.
Good work, Blas. We should remember that Castro, the old tyrannical bastard, is behind the Chavez expansionist moves. I'm glad Honduras said no to ALBA. That was the good news. Having the military take the idiot Zelaya out of the country was where they screwed up. But, the world will get over it. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann is history while the radical loony left in South America is in decline, Chavez's Venezuela is about to implode, so things are progressing favorably.
same old propaganda from this golpista shill.
the gangsta golpista regime will go down in flames. no amount of repression and propaganda will stop its demise.
But there was no coup so how can there be a coup government? Repeat after me . . . the Honduran constitution clearly required the congress and supreme court to remove Zelaya from power. It's done. Let's move forward with the current and LEGAL government.
It should be noted that the general election in progress is legally mandated by the constitution and began before Zelaya was removed. Neither Zelaya nor Micheletti are allowed to participate.
It should also be noted that 2 of 6 presidential candidates are Pro-Zelaya. Another 2 are moderate left and 2 are from traditional parties, including Zelaya's own party.
There are now over 2000 international observers registered to supervise the election and over 10,000 national observers.
There will be over 16,000 ballot boxes nationally, a record amount.
Historically, elections have been the best way to end constitutional crisis, coup or not. It this weren't true, then all Latin American governments would be unrecognized.
So, why are all these "Democrats" afraid of the election?
Zelaya could not govern the remaining 4 months without the support of the democratic institutions. Are they proposing to disolve the Constitution, Congress, Supreme Court and establish a DICTATORSHIP?
Happy 188th, catrachos. Let's see, we have Zelaya jetting around on Hugo's jet and using his credit card, yet crying like a two year old. Michelleti rallies the majority of the country behind him while the main emphasis are the elections in November. Obama along with most of the world leaders back Zelaya because Mel was elected. Hugo wants to become the new imperio but his economy is collapsing (as well as much of the rest of the world). It is interesting that Arias met the candidates for the November election. My bet is that Michelleti and the new government survives until the election and the world slowly recognizes the results of the election. Of course you have some people blame everything on Obama.
Ive been critical of your coverage on but this is a very good article. I generally support U.S. non-intervention in Latin America.If anyone is keeping score they'll know that when they've involved themselves politically they've generally caused more harm than good. Obama had been preaching this approach for quite some time. In fact, very recently he criticized the left in Latam for their hypocrisy in requesting US intervention in the Honduran issue. Based on all this I've arrived at my theory that this is all Hillary Clinton's doing. Obama has effectively delegated this issue to her. The state department has been very clear that all decisions on this matter have been made by the Secretary of State. I think she wants to feel important and to feel like she can actually influence something as opposed to the impotency and irrelevance she's been relinquished to as SOS. She is making a mistake bc Michelleti will call her bluff and once elections take place and the US is forced to accept the
outcome at some point, then she'll look even more pathetic and she'll make Obama and the administration look very bad. Obama better start looking into this bc once elections take place they will find themselves in a tough spot,in fact every leader in the region will find themselves in a tough spot. If Chavez pursues this issue and seeks to isolate Honduras post-electio it could create a sharp divide in the region. This all bodes disastrous for Honduras, already the second or third poorest country in the western hemisphere. Michelleti better see this coming and use any tool at his disposal to rally the US and the world on the side of the elections. While Zelaya's return is unacceptable, he must give way in some respect, a start would be to publicly admit that the process of raiding Zelaya's house and flying him out to CR in his pjs was wrong, but that he has otherwise been lawfully removed. Much will depend on the abilities of the new elected president, but Honduras cannot fail in this.
If Honduras had petroleum or gas I am sure things would be different. Hillary Clinton is a joke...the US Government should keep their noses out, it is an Honduran internal affair. Mel broke the law and should pay..simple as that...would YOU allow someone else to take over your life and everything that you have worked for....I guess the answer is NO...Hondurans don't either they want to live in peace but are really disgusted that the US Government, and probably 95% of the world is against them..what crap is that!
How can any country say they won't recognize democratic elections??? are they mad or just wannabee Dictators Like Mel? pure and simple, the Honduras put a spanner in the works....Viva Honduras! What I don't understand is why people just don't get it!! ahh yes it's called " being bought out" it's surprising that the majority can name their price but Micheletti and Vaquez didn't he
Hillary "resets" our relations with the Russians, but gets tough with Honduras. She bad.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO FOLLOW OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEFEND OUR DEMOCRACY, and we will not succumb to any type of bullying, nor the US nor Chavez will break our will. By the way did you know IRAN now has a strong foot hold in NICARAGUA? They have a huge embassy and are discussing a military base and nuclear "enery". Nicaragua has many Iranian, Venezuelan and Cuban advisors, so PEOPLE FROMTHE USA PLEASE TELL YOUR PRESIDENT TO WAKE UP !! P.D. We deserve a medal for standing up to the giant !!
"We deserve a medal for standing up to the giant !!"
The people of Honduras deverve a lot more than a medal, but they have the respect and gratitude of all people who love freedom and true constitutional democracy.
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