Military, COHEP meet in Secret
The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Honduran military, general Romeo Vasquez Velasquez met in secret with the head of the Business Council (COHEP), Amilcar Buines, yesterday. Today's Tiempo reports that the suprsing meeting took place at 9 am. Unofficially the meeting was to discuss the political situation and no comments were given to the press, who saw Buines's car drive in to the military headquarters, and later depart. The spokesperson for the military, Ramiro Archaga did not answer his cell phone or return calls.Spain's Zapatero calls for end to Honduran crisis
"We won't accept the coup," Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told world leaders.
Zelaya was ousted in a June coup in the worst political crisis in Central America in decades. On Monday he returned to his country's capital of Tegucigalpa and took refuge in Brazil's embassy, leading to a tense standoff. (Reporting by Terry Wade; Editing by Bill Trott)
Report from Honduras: Ousted President Manuel Zelaya Returns to Honduras in Defiance of Coup Government
We go live to the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, where Manuel Zelaya has sought refuge. After Zelaya’s dramatic return, the coup government ordered a curfew, but thousands of Zelaya supporters defied the ban and rallied outside the Brazilian embassy. Earlier this morning police fired tear gas outside the embassy to disburse the crowd. We hear Zelaya speak from inside the embassy and speak to Andres Conteris and Mark Weisbrot. [includes rush transcript]
Report from Honduras: Ousted President Manuel Zelaya Returns to Honduras in Defiance of Coup Government
We go live to the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, where Manuel Zelaya has sought refuge. After Zelaya’s dramatic return, the coup government ordered a curfew, but thousands of Zelaya supporters defied the ban and rallied outside the Brazilian embassy. Earlier this morning police fired tear gas outside the embassy to disburse the crowd. We hear Zelaya speak from inside the embassy and speak to Andres Conteris and Mark Weisbrot. [includes rush transcript]
How Much Repression Will Hillary Clinton Support in Honduras?
Por Mark Weisbrot
 |
September 24, 2009 On September 22, 2009, Mark Weisbrot appeared on Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman to discuss Manuel Zelaya's return to Honduras. Now that President Zelaya has returned to Honduras, the coup government - after first denying that he was there - has unleashed a wave of repression to prevent people from gathering support for their elected president. This is how U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the first phase of this new repression last night in a press conference: "I think that the government imposed a curfew, we just learned, to try to get people off the streets so that there couldn't be unforeseen developments." But the developments that this dictatorship is trying to repress are very much foreseen. A completely peaceful crowd of thousands surrounded the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, where Zelaya has taken refuge, to greet their president. The military then used the curfew as an excuse to tear-gas, beat, and arrest the crowd until there was nothing left. There are reports of scores wounded and three dead. The dictatorship has cut off electricity and water to the embassy, and cut electricity to what little is left of the independent media, as well as some neighborhoods. This is how the dictatorship has been operating. It has a very brutal but simple strategy. The strategy goes like this: they control the national media, which has been deployed to convince about 30-40 percent of the population that their elected President is an agent of a foreign government and seeks to turn the country into a socialist prison. However, that still leaves the majority who have managed to find access to other information. The strategy for dealing with them has been to try to render them powerless: through thousands of arrests, beatings, and even some selective killings. This has been documented, reported, and denounced by major human rights organizations throughout the world: Amnesty International, the Center for Justice and International Law, Human Rights Watch, the Inter American Commission on Human Rights and others. One important actor, the only major country to maintain an ambassador in Honduras throughout the dictatorship, has maintained a deafening silence about this repression: that is the United States government. The Obama administration has not uttered one word about the massive human rights violations in Honduras. This silence by itself tells you all that you need to know about what this administration has really been trying to accomplish in the 87 days since the Honduran military squelched democracy. The Obama team understands exactly how the coup government is maintaining its grip on power through violence and repression. And President Obama, along with his Secretary of State, has shown no intention to undermine this strategy. In fact, President Zelaya has been to Washington six times since he was overthrown, but not once did he get a meeting with President Obama. Why is that? Most likely because Obama does not want to send the "wrong" signal to the dictatorship, i.e. that the lip service that he has paid to Zelaya's restoration should be taken seriously. These signals are important because the Honduran dictatorship is digging in its heels on the bet that they don't have to take any pressure from Washington seriously. They have billions of dollars of assets in the United States, which could be frozen or seized. But the dictatorship, for now, trusts that the Obama team is not going to do anything to hurt their allies. The head of the Organization of American States' Inter-American Human Rights Commission, Luz Mejias, had a different view of the dictatorship's curfew from that of Hillary Clinton. She called it "a clear violation of human rights and legal norms" and said that those who ordered these measures should be charged under international criminal law. What possible excuse can the military have for breaking up this peaceful gathering, or can Ms. Clinton have for supporting the army's violence? There was no way that this crowd was a threat to the Brazilian embassy - quite the contrary, if anything it was protecting the embassy. That is one reason why the military attacked the crowd. On August 11, sixteen members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to President Obama urging him to "publicly denounce the use of violence and repression of peaceful protestors, the murder of peaceful political organizers and all forms of censorship and intimidation directed at media outlets." They are still waiting for an answer. Some might recall what happened to President Bill Clinton when his administration sent mixed signals to the dictatorship in Haiti in 1994. President Clinton had called for the dictator Raul Cedras to step down, so that the democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide could be restored. But Cedras was convinced - partly because of contradictory statements from administration officials like Brian Latell of the CIA - that Clinton was not serious. Even after Jimmy Carter, Colin Powell, and then Senator Sam Nunn were sent to Haiti to try to persuade Cedras to leave before a promised U.S. invasion - the dictator still did not believe it. In September of 1994 President Clinton sent 20,000 troops to topple the dictatorship and restore the elected president (who ironically was overthrown again in 2004, in a U.S.-instigated coup). By now, the coup government in Honduras has even less reason than the 1994 Haitian dictatorship to believe that the Obama team will do anything serious to remove them from power. What a horrible, ugly message the Obama administration is sending to the democracies of Latin America, and to people that aspire to democracy everywhere. |
:: Article nr. 58253 sent on 24-sep-2009 17:39 ECT
One dead and at least 5 injured in riots in the capital of Honduras
Miércoles 23 de Septiembre de 2009 13:44 Wednesday, 23 September 2009 13:44
Despite the curfew, thousands of people marched to the embassy of Brazil, where it hides Zelaya.
Reuters , 23 de septiembre de 2009 Reuters, September 23, 2009
Tegucigalpa . A supporter of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, died in a clash between protesters and police, as thousands of people marched to the Brazilian embassy refuge where the deposed leader defying the curfew.
The victim, 65, died shot in Tuesday night in a slum of Tegucigalpa hours after security forces violently dispersed hundreds of protesters in the vicinity of the embassy.
. Staff held this Wednesday with a second day of the Brazilian embassy and its surrounding streets, where Zelaya on Monday after taking refuge in secret to Honduras to try to regain power.
Brazil said it would not tolerate any violation of the immunity of their membership and asked Washington to Honduras to respect international agreements.
"The plan is to enter and create a conflict and an assassination (...) I was informed that there was a plan to make it appear that she had committed suicide at the time of the raid," said Zelaya to Channel 36, the Honduran television.
The de facto president, Roberto Micheletti, has assured that his government has no plans to storm the embassy, where they lodge a few dozen people.
Several thousand supporters of Zelaya passed through a central shopping area of Tegucigalpa singing " Viva Mel , our friend, the people are with you " and "Golpistas out!" .
Moreover, carrying banners demanding the return of the ousted president, under the gaze of a hundred riot police.
A Hospital Escuela Doctor, Octavio Albarenga, told Reuters he received five bullet wounds patients that were in the hospital in stable condition.
. In New York, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the General Assembly requested the United Nations that the international community to be vigilant to ensure the inviolability of the embassy.
"The international community demands that Mr. Zelaya immediately return to the presidency of his country and must be vigilant to ensure the inviolability of the diplomatic mission of Brazil in Honduras' capital city," Lula said, prompting applause from the audience.
The return of Zelaya, who arrived by land without being detected by the coup government nearly three months ago for allegedly violating the constitution by wanting to force the presidential reelection, deepened the worst political crisis in Central America in decades.
Micheletti, who refuses to negotiate the return of Zelaya to power, has called on Brazil to hand over the ousted leader to be tried for the alleged constitutional violation and a series of corruption charges, or asylum.
Analysts believe that by agreeing to give refuge to the ousted leader, Brazil intervened in a crisis over which he has little influence, which might undermine his ambitions of regional leadership.
After 36 hours of curfew, the de facto government announced it had suspended for several hours the state of emergency so that people can buy food and gasoline, but warned that police will challenge to those they meet in groups of more than 20 people.
Moments after the announcement, long lines formed in front of supermarkets and gas stations waiting to open and phantom of the city landscape was transformed when hundreds of cars lined the streets that were deserted until moments before.
Embassy under siege
At night, helicopters flew over the Brazilian diplomatic representation when also heard a deafening sound emitted by a device used by police during crackdowns, according to witnesses inside the embassy.
"I live here near the back of the embassy. This is unbearable, we can not leave the house. Last night was like a noise, not what, but I could not sleep," complained Orieta Bidea, 63 .
Speaking to reporters in New York, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, whose closeness with Zelaya angered conservatives in Honduras, described the return of Zelaya as a brave.
"United Nations must act to be installed Zelaya in government again," he said. The ousted leader rejected an offer of dialogue launched by Micheletti on Tuesday, but said he contacted individuals to serve as a bridge to the de facto government.
Micheletti was willing to talk with Zelaya, but said a deal does not include the return of ousted leader.
Honduras plans to hold presidential elections in November, but the international community, which has been isolated politically and financially to Honduras, said it will not recognize the winner of the elections.
In Washington, a U.S. official said Micheletti is willing to accept the entry of a delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) to Honduras to mediate the crisis.
The coup government has previously rejected a proposal for the OAS to Zelaya return to power until his term expires in January.
Tegucigalpa. Several shops were looted overnight in the capital of Honduras by a crowd. Today, suspended curfew imposed after the return of Zelaya, supermarkets are packed with people. Ap
In a report previously presented to the Permanent Council, the head of the hemispheric organization expressed his will to travel to Honduras, highlighting that his presence in the aforementioned Central American country would have to goal of “expediting the dialogue to solve this situation” as soon as possible.
In the Declaration, the Permanent Council “reiterates its support for the Secretary General’s initiatives in the framework of the mandates of the thirty-seventh special session of the General Assembly to facilitate dialogue and restoration of the constitutional order”.
At the same time, the Declaration “demands full guarantees from the de facto authorities in order to ensure the life and physical integrity of President Zelaya and a treatment consistent with his high office, as well as his return to the Presidency of the Republic in accordance with the resolution of the General Assembly”.
Finally, the Council “calls on all sectors of Honduran society to act responsibly and prudently, avoiding any acts that could lead to violence and hinder the national reconciliation so desired by the Honduran people and the Hemisphere as a whole.”
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The victim, 65, died shot in Tuesday night in a slum of Tegucigalpa hours after security forces violently dispersed hundreds of protesters in the vicinity of the embassy.
. Staff held this Wednesday with a second day of the Brazilian embassy and its surrounding streets, where Zelaya on Monday after taking refuge in secret to Honduras to try to regain power.
Brazil said it would not tolerate any violation of the immunity of their membership and asked Washington to Honduras to respect international agreements.
"The plan is to enter and create a conflict and an assassination (...) I was informed that there was a plan to make it appear that she had committed suicide at the time of the raid," said Zelaya to Channel 36, the Honduran television.
The de facto president, Roberto Micheletti, has assured that his government has no plans to storm the embassy, where they lodge a few dozen people.
Several thousand supporters of Zelaya passed through a central shopping area of Tegucigalpa singing " Viva Mel , our friend, the people are with you " and "Golpistas out!" .
Moreover, carrying banners demanding the return of the ousted president, under the gaze of a hundred riot police.
A Hospital Escuela Doctor, Octavio Albarenga, told Reuters he received five bullet wounds patients that were in the hospital in stable condition.
. In New York, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the General Assembly requested the United Nations that the international community to be vigilant to ensure the inviolability of the embassy.
"The international community demands that Mr. Zelaya immediately return to the presidency of his country and must be vigilant to ensure the inviolability of the diplomatic mission of Brazil in Honduras' capital city," Lula said, prompting applause from the audience.
The return of Zelaya, who arrived by land without being detected by the coup government nearly three months ago for allegedly violating the constitution by wanting to force the presidential reelection, deepened the worst political crisis in Central America in decades.
Micheletti, who refuses to negotiate the return of Zelaya to power, has called on Brazil to hand over the ousted leader to be tried for the alleged constitutional violation and a series of corruption charges, or asylum.
Analysts believe that by agreeing to give refuge to the ousted leader, Brazil intervened in a crisis over which he has little influence, which might undermine his ambitions of regional leadership.
After 36 hours of curfew, the de facto government announced it had suspended for several hours the state of emergency so that people can buy food and gasoline, but warned that police will challenge to those they meet in groups of more than 20 people.
Moments after the announcement, long lines formed in front of supermarkets and gas stations waiting to open and phantom of the city landscape was transformed when hundreds of cars lined the streets that were deserted until moments before.
Embassy under siege
At night, helicopters flew over the Brazilian diplomatic representation when also heard a deafening sound emitted by a device used by police during crackdowns, according to witnesses inside the embassy.
"I live here near the back of the embassy. This is unbearable, we can not leave the house. Last night was like a noise, not what, but I could not sleep," complained Orieta Bidea, 63 .
Speaking to reporters in New York, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, whose closeness with Zelaya angered conservatives in Honduras, described the return of Zelaya as a brave.
"United Nations must act to be installed Zelaya in government again," he said. The ousted leader rejected an offer of dialogue launched by Micheletti on Tuesday, but said he contacted individuals to serve as a bridge to the de facto government.
Micheletti was willing to talk with Zelaya, but said a deal does not include the return of ousted leader.
Honduras plans to hold presidential elections in November, but the international community, which has been isolated politically and financially to Honduras, said it will not recognize the winner of the elections.
In Washington, a U.S. official said Micheletti is willing to accept the entry of a delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) to Honduras to mediate the crisis.
The coup government has previously rejected a proposal for the OAS to Zelaya return to power until his term expires in January.
Tegucigalpa. Several shops were looted overnight in the capital of Honduras by a crowd. Today, suspended curfew imposed after the return of Zelaya, supermarkets are packed with people. ApOAS requests immediate signing of the San José Agreement and supports the Secretary General’s initiatives to facilitate dialogue in Honduras
The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) passed Monday a Declaration in which the organization “calls for the immediate signing of the San José Agreement”, demands full guarantees to ensure the life and physical integrity of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and supports the initiatives undertaken by the Secretary General José Miguel Insulza to facilitate dialogue and restoration of the constitutional order in Honduras.In a report previously presented to the Permanent Council, the head of the hemispheric organization expressed his will to travel to Honduras, highlighting that his presence in the aforementioned Central American country would have to goal of “expediting the dialogue to solve this situation” as soon as possible.
In the Declaration, the Permanent Council “reiterates its support for the Secretary General’s initiatives in the framework of the mandates of the thirty-seventh special session of the General Assembly to facilitate dialogue and restoration of the constitutional order”.
At the same time, the Declaration “demands full guarantees from the de facto authorities in order to ensure the life and physical integrity of President Zelaya and a treatment consistent with his high office, as well as his return to the Presidency of the Republic in accordance with the resolution of the General Assembly”.
Finally, the Council “calls on all sectors of Honduran society to act responsibly and prudently, avoiding any acts that could lead to violence and hinder the national reconciliation so desired by the Honduran people and the Hemisphere as a whole.”
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