In an astonishing fit of arrogance, Costa Rica’s president and mediator in the Honduran crisis Oscar Arias, 
called the Honduras constitution ‘the worst in the world.’ Abandoning any pretense of neutrality or impartiality, Mr. Arias anointed himself with the right to ignore the constitutional requirements that led to the removal of Manuel Zelaya as he took the side of the deposed president simply because he found Honduras’ basic law personally objectionable. His remarks, however, constituted an admission that Zelaya’s removal from the Honduran presidency by the country’s Supreme Court and National Congress was conducted in accordance with the nation’s constitutional requirements and, consequently, did not amount to a coup d’état.
Mr. Arias’ mindboggling revelation took place Tuesday during a speaking engagement at a Miami conference sponsored by the Miami Herald newspaper. According to the report by the Associated Press, Arias faulted the constitution because it lacks an impeachment process,
". . . so I imagine the only way of calling the president to account was to oust him. This is something that will have to be resolved, and the best way to do this is, if we can't have a constitutional election, is to have certain reforms so this Honduran constitution ceases to be the worst in the entire world."
The implication of this statement is that, not only must Zelaya be returned to power in violation of the constitution, but that the constitution should be changed to accommodate the former president. But such a result would be contrary to the so-called San Jose Accord that Mr. Arias drafted and insists the Micheletti government must accept. Under his proposal, Zelaya would return to power, but commit himself to not seek changes to the constitution. Now Mr. Arias openly argues that the constitution should be changed.
Mr. Arias also stated that unless Mel Zelaya is restored to power before the November 29 presidential elections, the results of the democratic will of the Honduran people will not be recognized by the international community because, in its view, elections conducted by regimes resulting from a coup d’état lack legitimacy. This reasoning is also patently absurd and, if accepted, would remove the legitimacy from most current Latin American elected leaders, including Chile, Brazil and Argentina, whose countries returned to democracy after elections organized by military governments.
As it becomes clearer that the international efforts to reinstate Zelaya to the Honduran presidency will fail to arm-twist Honduras into submission, there is confusion in the ranks. After U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week that Zelaya’s presence in Honduras could provide an opportunity to restart discussions, the American representative at the OAS meeting this week, Lewis Amselem, labeled Zelaya’s decision to return as irresponsible and stupid. At present, the proposed solution to the crisis circulating around Washington, according to the New York Times, would involve a symbolic restitution of Zelaya to the presidency followed by his immediate resignation and the transfer of power to a ‘unity government.’ The proposal would include an amnesty for everyone involved in the crisis. Expect Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and his cronies Daniel Ortega, Evo Morales, Mauricio Funes and Rafael Correa in Nicaragua, Bolivia, El Salvador and Ecuador to object vehemently to such an arrangement, which they will denounce as a sellout. These left wing rulers are not interested in the ‘restoration of constitutional order’ to Honduras, but in finding a way to keep Zelaya in power indefinitely.
(Above right: Oscar Arias. Photo La Prensa)
Associated Press report on Arias' speech
New York Times article on Honduras' conondrum
Comments
YOU ARE A TOTAL MORON .THE TRUTH IS THIER IS NO CONSTITUTION IN HONDURAS. THE PHONY DE FACTO PRESIDENT REMOVED CIVIL CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTIES FROM EVERYONE IN HONDURAS.
I agree with everything said Blas, and clearly anyone who says that the elections arent legit is really just stupid, for the reasons that you mentioned. And the last sentence you wrote shows that unlike Hillary, you understand how these guys think. Arias is looking very bad since HE had previously made the argument you made on the elections. Now I think he is correct that the Honduran constitution is severely flawed in not establishing a clear path towards impeachment. That is a change that should be made, and unlike term limits it is constituionally legal to change that (if the Arias accord is signed then it can be changed later on). Lets also remember that the justifications given by the Supreme Court to remove Zelaya are unrelated to reelection as he had not sought that YET. As I've read your arguments on this issue I suggest you take down your version of the Honduran consitution, it is outdated and does not include amendments made to relevant articles. Thank you for covering this.
Do you know what is happening? unfortunately our dear Meadiator Mr. Arias and his brother, who is his right hand in the governemtn, want to change the constitution of his country to be re-elected!!!! what a surprise that he takes this attitude!!!!
A mediator should be impartial but Arias has from the very beginning been only on Zelayas side. Even though he may have a nobel peace prize in the 80s he seems to have forgotten to listen to what the people want
Arias, nor anybody with a piece of a brain in their heads, needed to know a damn thing about any Constitution to know that putting an elected President out on a plane and off to another country is and will always be, unconstitutional and everything else starts from there.
Be smart, please.
How big a brain does it take to know that it is against the law to defy a Supreme Court order? Or is the president above the law and need not follow the constitution? Even the U.S. Congressional legal experts at the Library of congress concluded Zelaya's removal from office was constitutional and lawful. The only crime the military committed was aiding and abetting the escape of a criminal from justice.
This man reached senility very, very fast or perhaps he never read the Honduras constitution. My daughter (15)read article 239 and 42 of the Constitution and she understands there was no Coup in Honduras. Now that we know that the US Library of Congress knows there was no coup..... can we oust Arias as a mediator? Frankly speaking, he deserves to be taken away from this serious matter; we are discussing the future of 7million people. Come on!
Lets see. Micheletti and his criminal orgainization and criminal unlawful coup has cost Honduras 50,000,000,000 dollars US per day . His crimianl coup traitors have taken away the civil liberties ,and closed TV stations and radio stations that don't agree with his criminal actions. Zelaya is the only person elected President. do not allow this criminal state to play in the World cup or any other stupid games they play. Be concerned about the economy not futbol.You are not going to win any games anyway.
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