OAS head goes to Honduras; may meet Congress’ janitor?

July 3, 4:56 PMOrlando Republican ExaminerBlas Padrino

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Orlando Republican Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States arrived in Honduras today to deliver an ultimatum to the current leadership of that country. According to the declarations coming out of the inter-American organism, OAS chief José Miguel Insulza is not in Honduras to negotiate. He is there to demand that the new government restore Mel Zelaya to the Honduran presidency or be suspended from the Organization. Moreover, Mr. Insulza has made it clear that he will not meet with any of the parties responsible for the removal of Mr. Zelaya. Such a meeting, he reasons, would confer legitimacy on the ex-President’s ouster. Of course, since Mr. Zelaya was removed by the joint actions of the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Armed Forces, it is unclear who he plans to meet with.
Even when measured by the often bizarre turns of Latin American politics, the Insulza mission has elements surreal enough to rival a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel. Obviously, if Mr. Insulza will not engage in negotiations and will not meet with anyone in the current government, who does he intend to deliver his ultimatum to? Perhaps he plans to hail a taxicab and give his stern warning to the driver? Or will he race to the National Congress, take hold of the nearest gardener tending the grounds and, shaking him by the shirt collar demand the restitution of Zelaya to power?
Meanwhile, the current Honduran President, Roberto Micheletti, addressed a rally of thousands of Hondurans in front of the National Palace and told the cheering crowd that he was the legitimate President of all Hondurans and does not intend to quit.
The reality of the situation is that there is very little that the OAS or anyone else can accomplish by taking up Zelaya’s cause. After all, come November, Honduras will hold presidential elections as scheduled. By January, any claim that Zelaya may have to legitimacy will expire with his term. The international failure to recognize the validity of the Honduran Supreme Court’s sanction of Zelaya’s removal and, consequently, of the legitimacy of the current government, will only impair the international community’s ability to evaluate the fairness of the coming elections. Mr. Zelaya is already acting to undermine the electoral process. He argued yesterday in El Salvador that, unless he is returned to power, the November elections will be illegal. The previous day, he had said in Panama that the people of Honduras have the right to engage in insurrection against the government. Such pronouncements can only mean that, unless he is restored to power, Mr. Zelaya intends to foment insurrection not only against the current government, but against any future government elected by the Honduran people.
In the meantime, economic sanctions against Honduras will only hurt the people and destabilize the country, making it more susceptible to attacks on its democracy.
Fortunately, all indications are that after all the bluster displayed by most sectors of the international community, both the United States and the OAS are looking for a way to squirm away from their untenable positions without getting any more egg on their faces.

(Above right: From left to right: Mel Zelaya, Hugo Chavez, Jose M. Insulza. Photo courtesy of La Prensa)

If you liked this article, please, click on the yellow button below to let others know. Thank you.