US Congress Takes a Stand: Open Letter to Honduran Congress
Signed by US Representatives James McGovern, William Delahunt, Janice D. Schakowsky, Sam Farr, Gregory W. Meeks, and Xavier Becerra, this open letter, addressed to José Saavedra, President of the Honduran Congress, draws a clear distinction between the policy of the US Executive branch, and the majority party in the US Congress, and what the authors rightly characterize as the "minority" Republican party, whose members continue to interfere in US foreign policy in ways that should be roundly condemned by anyone who cares about procedure in the US system.
These remarkable congressmembers state firmly and clearly that the coup was unconstitutional; that the current conditions make holding legitimate elections impossible; and that if the Micheletti regime continues to "stall", they will urge that the US not recognize the upcoming Honduran elections.
Finally, a voice of clarity. Will it be heard?
Republicans visit Honduras despite US coup policy
The brief, amicable visit with the leaders of the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya highlights a divide in Washington, where the Obama administration is working to reinstate Zelaya but many conservatives side with the government installed after soldiers arrested the president in his pajamas and flew him into exile.
South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, the leader of the delegation, said before the trip that even calling Zelaya's overthrow a coup is "ill-informed and baseless."
DeMint and three representatives — Aaron Schock and Peter Roskam of Illinois and Doug Lamborn of Colorado — smiled for photographs in a book-lined office of the stately presidential palace with interim President Roberto Micheletti. They slipped out of the palace through a rear entrance, avoiding dozens of journalists waiting for a planned news conference that never materialized.
Wesley Denton, spokesman for DeMint, said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press that the senator's visit was strictly a fact-finding mission and "was not to support or encourage any particular politician."
"Sen. DeMint supports full civil rights, democracy, the rule of law and he wants to see a quick resolution to the crisis, one that allows the Honduran people to resolve it through a fair and transparent process," he said.
The delegation met with the major candidates in Nov. 29 elections that many call illegitimate, and with Supreme Court justices who are deciding whether Micheletti had the constitutional right to suspend civil liberties.
They did not meet with Zelaya, who is holed up with dozens of supporters in the Brazilian Embassy after sneaking back into Honduras.
Nations around the globe have condemned Zelaya's June 28 ouster and many, including the United States and the European Union, have suspended aid to Honduras. Washington has also revoked the U.S. visas of interim leaders.
Republicans argue the actions were a legitimate reaction to Zelaya's attempt to hold a constitutional referendum that critics believed was an attempt to undo a prohibition on a second term. Zelaya denies that was his intention.
Many conservative American politicians see Micheletti as a bulwark against the expansion of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's socialist programs in Latin America.
It's not unusual for members of the U.S. Congress to visit shunned governments. Quite a few have visited Cuba in recent years, and both Republicans and Democrats visited Nicaragua when its Sandinista government was at odds with Washington.
But critics argue the visit by Republicans undermines international efforts to restore Zelaya to power just as both sides seem ready to negotiate. Amid mounting concerns about human rights abuses, the interim leaders are under increasing pressure from home and abroad to break the three-month stalemate paralyzing the impoverished country.
"I think that this trip potentially will muddy the waters even more, and that would not be constructive," said Joy Olson, executive director of the Washington Office on Latin America, which promotes human rights and democracy. "The danger of this visit is that those supporting the Micheletti government re-entrench."
Micheletti has become increasingly alienated at home after his administration imposed an emergency decree this week suspending some civil liberties, including freedom of the press and freedom of assembly. He promised to lift the decree after being criticized by his own supporters as going too far, but has yet to do so.
Differences over Honduras also are affecting President Barack Obama: DeMint has been blocking Senate votes on Arturo Valenzuela, Obama's nominee to be assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, and Thomas Shannon, his nominee for U.S. ambassador to Brazil.
"Thanks to DeMint's intransigence, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee can't hold hearings to receive testimony from the most knowledgeable and relevant witnesses on our policy in Central and South America," Democratic Sen. John Kerry said in a news release.
Florida Congressman Connie Mack, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, was the first U.S. lawmaker to visit Honduras after the coup. He led a congressional delegation that met with Micheletti in July.
Mack has been an outspoken critic of the U.S. government's actions, such as revoking the visas of interim leaders, saying that Hondurans "don't want us to stand with the `thugocrats' of the Western Hemisphere like Hugo Chavez."
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another ranking Florida Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, plans to head to Honduras next week.
A delegation from the Organization of American States, which has taken the lead in pushing for a negotiated resolution that restores Zelaya to power, was expected to arrive later Friday.
Associated Press writer Catherine Shoichet contributed to this report from Mexico City.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Lamborn visits Honduras despite US coup policy
DENVER — Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn is returning from Honduras on a trip that angered the administration.Lamborn spokeswoman Catherine Mortenson says he joined three other Republicans Friday to meet interim Honduras President Roberto Micheletti.
The trip chafed some in the White House. The Obama administration has condemned the coup that brought Micheletti to power. The White House is working to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
The GOP delegation leader, Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, says it is wrong to call the Micheletti takeover a coup.
On the Net:
Democrats will urge Washington to reject the election results in Honduras
Washington, 2 oct (EFE).- Líderes demócratas de la Cámara de Representantes de EE.UU. Washington, Oct 2 (EFE) .- Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives afirmaron hoy que los republicanos que apoyan al Gobierno de facto en Honduras son una minoría, y advirtieron de que urgirán que Washington rechace los resultados de los comicios de noviembre próximo si no se resuelve la crisis. Seguir leyendo el arículo Republicans argued today that supporters of the de facto government in Honduras are a minority, and warned that Washington will urge you to reject the results of next November's elections if not resolved the crisis. Continue reading the printed article
"If the de facto government is delaying the process (to resolve the crisis through dialogue),we urge our government to not recognize their next elections" on November 29, warned in a letter sent today to the president of the Honduran Congress, Jose Angel Saavedra.
The six lawmakers reiterated their call for dialogue, but made clear that Republicans who have recently visited Honduras "expressed a view very different from the position of the administration of President (Barack) Obama and the Democratic Party, which is majority in Congress. " The letter requested that the Government of Roberto Micheletti respects human rights and civil liberties and accept the Agreement of San Jose for Zelaya finish his term until January 2010.
"The coup against President Zelaya was unconstitutional, the absence of a legitimate president, violations of human rights and restricting civil liberties are unacceptable, and these conditions preclude free and fair elections," the letter reads.
"We call on the de facto government of Honduras to restore constitutional order and respect freedom of expression and internationally recognized human rights," the letter signed by lawmakers James McGovern, Janice Schakowsky, Gregory Meeks, Bill Delahunt, Sam Farr and Xavier Becerra.
They also appealed to all parties to "resolve the conflict peacefully."
They insisted that the Government's position in Washington is only one: "repeats calls for dialogue between both parties that has the backing of the San Jose, as proposed by the president of Costa Rica, Óscar Arias.
Moreover, the lawmakers said they understand the "special weight" of the work of the Honduran Congress before such a political crisis. "We thought it important that you know our views on these issues that are so critical," they add.
. The disclosure of the letter comes at a time when many GOP leaders, including Sen. James DeMint and lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, have stepped up its criticism of the Washington government's position regarding Honduras .
In fact, DeMint, a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs, now a Republican delegation headed to Honduras, where he met with Micheletti and representatives from other sectors to discuss the crisis after the coup on 28 June.
Next week, Ros-Lehtinen will also travel to Honduras, he explained, on the ground to see what he sees as the negative impact of Washington's current policy toward that country.
Members of U.S. Congress Warn Hondurans New Elections Won't Be Recognized Unless Conflict is Resolved
"This timely letter speaks in clear and compelling language to the coup government and its supporters in the Honduran Congress," Sarah Stephens, executive director of the CDA said. "Unless the coup is ended, President Zelaya is restored, and violations of democracy and human rights are halted, no presidential election conducted in that environment will be recognized as free or fair or legitimate by the United States government and its senior leaders.
The letter signed by Representatives James McGovern, Bill Delahunt, Sam Farr, Gregory Meeks, Janice Schakowsky, and Xavier Becerra was sent to Honduras as four Republican Members of the Congress visited interim President Micheletti and communicated their support for the coup.
"Honduras's interim government should pay attention not to rump groups seeking publicity, but to senior Members of the Congress who stand with the Obama administration on behalf of democracy, diplomacy, and dialogue. We believe Honduras should act quickly and decisively to end this crisis and avoid entering a new presidency with this odious cloud hanging over its government."
The Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) is devoted to changing U.S. policy toward the countries of the Americas by basing our relations on mutual respect, recognizing positive models of governance in the region, and fostering dialogue particularly with those governments and movements with which U.S. policy is at odds.
Ms. Stephens testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs about the coup in Honduras on July 10, 2009.
SOURCE Center for Democracy in the Americas
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