Yesterday evening, Florida’s Republican Senator George LeMieux released a statement urging President Obama to restore normal relations with Honduras. The statement read:.jpg)
“First hand accounts indicate the people of Honduras voted in free, fair, and transparent elections. Peace, civility, and enthusiasm ruled the day and Hondurans were able to democratically choose their political leaders and lay the course for their future. My hope is the Obama Administration will use this opportunity to normalize bilateral relations with Honduras and fully reinstate counter-narcotic cooperation and foreign assistance."
While the State Department has stated through various spokespersons that the United States recognizes that the elections were free, fair and democratic, the Administration wants the current interim government and president-elect Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo to do more. According to Undersecretary of State for Latin America Arturo Valenzuela, the United States would like to see ousted president Manuel Zelaya reinstated by the National Congress when it meets tomorrow. It also wants the new Honduran president, who will take office on January 27, to form a national unity government.
Apparently, the Obama Administration looks at these requirements as a way to save face. The people of Honduras rebuffed American support for Zelaya’s reinstatement through massive participation in the elections. Ignoring international threats of non-recognition of their new government if the elections were carried out under the auspices of interim president Roberto Micheletti, as well as Zelaya’s calls for a boycott, voters participated in numbers that exceeded previous elections. According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, an independent government agency tasked with conducting the elections and whose membership was designated while Zelaya was in power, 62% of eligible voters participated – fully eight percent more than in Zelaya’s election. The vote took place in an atmosphere of peace and freedom and the process has been honest and transparent. There have been no reports of abuses from any of the thousands of observers, both national and international. Already, several other countries have stated that they will recognize Mr. Lobo’s government as legitimate.
At a meeting of foreign ministers from Hispanic nations held in Portugal, the member countries were unable to reach a consensus on the Honduran election. Unlike the previous unanimity among them on their refusal to recognize the government of interim president Roberto Micheletti, dissent among some Latin American countries prevented a declaration on the subject. Notably Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Peru, expressed their willingness to normalize relations with Honduras. Additionally, Poland and the Czech Republic are following Italy’s lead and breaking with the rest of the European Union to recognize the new government.
At this juncture, the reinstatement of Mr. Zelaya to complete his term would be a step backward in resolving the crisis. After he signed an agreement to recognize the results of the election, he now claims they are invalid. He objects not just to the legitimacy of President Micheletti, but to that of the National Congress, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the leadership of the Armed Forces and the Supreme Court. In other words, he considers himself as the only legitimate ruler of Honduras. While it is understandable that the far left members of the ALBA group, headed by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, support Zelaya’s position, it is mind-boggling that other supposedly responsible Latin American countries would go along. The rulers of Brazil, Argentina and Chile should rethink their positions to avoid further embarrassment. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula daSilva should be trying to figure out what to do about Zelaya’s presence in his country’s embassy in Honduras. Sooner or later, Lula will have to convince his troublesome guest to leave the premises, voluntarily or forcibly.
(Above right: Sen. George LeMieux. AP photo/Phil Coale).
For additional information:
Associated Press reports about Zelaya's letter to foreign governments
Pepe Lobo's conservative National Party wins broad majorities across the board - La Prensa
Comments
Boycott Honduran COffee and Banana.
let obama and clinton (and US democracy) be spirited off in the middle of the night at gunpoint in their pajamas and then we'll see whether they consider that to be acceptable. and then elections after many newspapers and tv stations are shut down, thousands of people harassed and imprisoned, or shot, free assembly virtually forbidden except of course where it suits the coup makers - then we'd see what obama and clinton thought of that kind of US election in which one of the majo candidates withdraws and calls it a coup supported sham.
this coup is an anti-democratic stunt and has been roundly condemned in the OAS and the UN. obama is the same boss as the old boss. there will be no recognition in latin america of the honduran election by the regional powers that matter most. and shame on Arias for his treachery against democracy in recognizing these fradulent elections and hence the illicit coup makers michelleti et. al. a curse upon them.
Another coup by a rightwing oligarchy against a poor who stand up for themselves and elect a govt to represent them against the wishes of the rich and the bankers.
They keep saying he wanted to be a dictator but the referendum would have excluded him - it only contained provision to come into force to apply to succeeding presidents and there is, I believe, no facility for reelection in Honduras.
The reason he was ousted was because, like other 'dangerous communists' he put the needs of his poor above the needs of his rich.His referendum contained plans to raise the Honduran minimum wage, and he alienated multinationals resident in Honduras and their allies at a stroke.
The US Republicans,turning the world on it's head as usual, like to claim that 'populist' (a word with undertones of unsophistication and ignorance) govts like those of Chavez, Morales, Correa and Zelaya are dictatorships and capitalism is a euphemism for democratic freedom.
Events show this decade show otherwise.
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