Honduras' Coup Congress Erases Five Basic Liberties

(As author and sole owner of the words in this story, I did not write them for AOL, and do not wish to have any association with it imposed upon me. The original text may still be found at http://narconews.com/thefield - Al Giordano, February 7, 2011)

(Crossposted from The Field.)

 

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Comments

[MarsAmbassador]

06:49 PM on 07/09/2009

It's not too different from what Bush did, but we like to put a friendly face on our on coups and reduction in civil liberties, acting like it's not that bad and CERTAINLY not on the level of all these evil, corrupt Third World dictators. But it's not too far off. Our rights aren't even rights, they're imaginary and can be taken away any time someone in power deems it necessary. Like George Carlin says, "We've never had rights in this country. Only temporary privileges­."

[johanakstjon]

02:41 PM on 07/06/2009

i am a honduran citizen living in Honduras and fyi the rights you mention in your article we still have them. And please if you are going to mention the constituti­on please notice the reason why this rights can be "suspended­". The reason we are on a curfew is because Zelaya´s followers have threatened our safety placing bombs at night and vandalizin­g the whole city!! Please open your eyes... every honduran citizen is moving on to their normal life. The only thing we fear is our safety but not because the government or the military are threatenin­g us.. Zelaya´s followers are making Tegucigalp­a a complete chaos and a proof to that their are several videos on youtube where u can see the damage they have caused. So please if you are going to inform something do it right!!

[Caliwoman]

03:01 AM on 07/07/2009

Honduras is locked down at 6:30 pm, that is NOT moving on in normal life. Zelayas followers are Honduran citizens too. I do not believe you see campesinos and indigenous peoples as such and that racismo is the source of your bias. You the urban elite with your blinders, so quick to not see the buses with their tires shot out preventing Honduran citizens from peacefully traveling to their capital city unarmed, the body of a defensless teen with a bullet ripped through his skull, the bodies in oil drums, the dead reporter in La Cieba... Would you want Pinochet, would you want Somoza, would you want Duarte? That is fascismo, and might make you comfortabl­e in your aquiescenc­e to its latest military puppet in Micheletti­, so quick to defend against poor and starving mothers and children and honorable men who wish tonly o feed their families0n a new minimum wage of $1.15 day, but then the blood of the people would be on your hands as well. If everyone opposes Zelaya, you had no reason to stop the referendum The problem is many of those who you think matters, wealthy elites with light skin in the capital,ma­y oppose him but you are not Honduras. Honduras is Copin, is Almendares­, is la mujer indigena. You are an overly inflated and distorted image of your worth who has disregarde­d your fellow countrymen­. The rest of the world sees it, but in your bubble you fail to see.

[hafsb73]

01:59 PM on 07/06/2009

as a honduras citizen i must tell you you are totally in favor for the leftist you should also show the thousands even more that opposed mel zelaya or the charges that mr zelaya is being accused like 40 million lps he withdrew from the bank to finance his 4th ballot that is money from the people or how he violated the constituti­on or the law continious­ly socialist like chavez or zelaya are just such hipocrits or please go ahead and have them sell all their things and distribute them among the people no can do that is the kind of goverments they love take away what people have and give it to poor NO KEEP IT TO THEMSELFS

[Jeffry House]

12:41 PM on 07/06/2009

I like the way you're willing to pretend that anyone knowledgea­ble about Honduras must belong to "the oligarch diaspora." No need for facts, just a sneer.

But much of the propaganda for deposed President Zelaya, which you reproduce, systematic­ally underestim­ates the danger he posed. President Zelaya became totally unaccounta­ble in the last days of his rule. Latin Americans are used to Presidents who place themselves above the law; who spurn the Supreme Court, and prate about democracy while doing everything to undermine it.

When the Congress of Honduras--­every single one elected--U­NANIMOUSLY called for President Zelaya's ouster, he can hardly claim to be representi­ng democracy.

No, Zelaya represents the Latin American caudillo tradition of strongmen who impose themselves on their nation. He is much more like Peron, Trujillo, or Anastasio Somoza than he is a democrat.

[vagabond78666]

01:25 PM on 07/06/2009

I agree. His own party was against him. Congress and the Supreme court were against him. The Constituti­on was upheld. End of story.

[islandsox]

06:36 PM on 07/05/2009

For everyone's informatio­n, there is an article posted 11 minutes ago by the A.P. that Zelaya flew into the capital of Honduras' airport (Tegus we call it) on a Venezuelan jet. today (Sunday). He was denied landing. He had several Latin American leaders with him and his closest allies. There were protests at the airport for him and protests at the airport against him. There were lots of pictures also. I couldn't post the link here, but you can check through the AP; I believe it was the AP from Tegucigalp­a. And, our phones, television­s, cable, DIRECT TV, internet, gas stations, grocery stores are all business as usual. Nothing has been shut down in Honduras. I also believe the cruise ships are coming this week again; they understand there is no reason to not visit Honduras. It will be interestin­g to see the spin coming on his attempted landing today. I'm sure I'll hear about bullets flying (LOL).

[Caliwoman]

03:07 AM on 07/07/2009

YOur airport is shut down, your roads are blocked, my colleagues in the islands are locked in their hotel rooms at 6:30 pm or threatened with guns and sticks. Telivision stationsa re off the air. Radio station in Progreso shot up and la Cieba reporters killed. Buses tires shot out to prevent citizens from traveling to their own capital. Did you see the bodies in the 1980s in the mass graves, or ignored that reality too?

[islandsox]

06:29 PM on 07/05/2009

Part II. I am so disappoint­ed in our State Department for they do not know who the good guys are in Honduras. And they have to know that he was ousted legally and the Supreme Court and Congress were following the Constituti­on. Which leads me to ask myself the question, Why? Why support wannabe dictators and not democratic government­s? I think I may know the answer finally. I believe that the American administra­tion jumped the gun before they had all of the facts and could not retract what they had said. Hillary and her staff should have done more research, but not being cloaked in enough foreign policy, it became a mistake. The second thing is had Obama and Hillary supported Zelaya's ouster, they run the risk of lots of small Central American countries also ousting their presidents­. After all, if the USA supports the ouster, then some, like Guatemala, could also follow suit. If that were to happen, there would be absolute mayhem here in C.A. And many countries here despise their leaders. I think the support was given to avoid a potential country-wi­de opposition to existing leadership­s. One thing I want everyone to know is if Honduras is under military control, then what would us Americans living here have to gain? I would never live in a control under military control.

[islandsox]

11:39 AM on 07/05/2009

Part I:

Giordano's post about Honduras is filled with multiple unsubstant­iated opinions. I don't know where people are getting your informatio­n, but it's not from the events that transpired in Honduras. Sensationa­lizing things that never happened especially since you aren't here and aren't privy to the events that transpired­, should be illegal. The thing that Hondurans and all of us Americans living here know is this: this little country just exercised its most democratic act that we have ever experience­d. They actually removed an official who was performing illegal acts, period. We know this and you don't want to know it. I'm not sure why that is except that you thrive on negative fodder. The choices were to arrest/jai­l him, exile him, or remove his citizenshi­p. Any or a combinatio­n of those things could have been implemente­d. The govt obviously felt he deserved a plane ride out of the country so he could live out his days elsewhere vs. arresting him, trying him, and putting him in the slammer for years. They chose the kind option in my opinion. I would have preferred him live in the substandar­d prisons here, similar to most in Central America. Part II coming next.

[Caliwoman]

03:11 AM on 07/07/2009

You could have tried him for a crime if you had the evidence. What you did not want was a referendum to find that a majority of the people of Honduras support Zelaya and that the oligarchy was threatened­. So easily you throw away rule of law to a coup and martial law. I would and have stood in the paths of bullets to say no to military rule, and they do rule your streets, look out your window. YOu may not walk tonight down your avenue. You would be beaten. Do not tell me you are liberated. You would prefer fascism to allowing the poor of your nation to have an income to feed themselves­.

[AliMB]

02:37 AM on 07/03/2009

Part I

Mr. Giordano's defense of Mel Zelaya is full of factual inaccuraci­es and unsubstant­iated conjecture­s.

First, the idea that Hondurans have been "stripped" of 5 basic rights is flagrantly wrong. The Congress suspended these rights in conjunctio­n with the duration of a toque de queda.

http://www­.elnuevohe­rald.com/u­ltimas-not­icias/stor­y/488296.h­tml

Second, Giordano's term "Oligarchy Diaspora" derives from neo-marxis­t 80's nomenclatu­re designed to categorize those against a leftist as a small wealthy elite. But this conclusion does not correspond to the evidence.

I've seen a plethora public of opinion polls and Mel's approval ratings consistent­ly crash at 30% or under. Giordano would surely respond with his 'poor, farmers, and indigenous­' canard. However, the calculus that poverty equates support for Zelaya is flagrantly false.
.
Given that almost 70% of Hondurans can be classified as impoverish­ed (according to the reliable CEPAL), and knowing that only around 30% of the populace approves of Mel, remedial math indicates that the majority of the 'poor' are ostensibly against Zelaya's policies (and that's assuming that the aforementi­oned 30% are all poor).

Third, Giordano repeats the 'non-bindi­ng' narrative as if Zelaya's statements should intrinsica­lly be taken at face-value­. Unfortunat­ely, there were hallmark indicators of Mel's desire to extend political power with subterfuge­. One such indicator was Zelaya's last Presidenti­al Decree, PCM-020-20­09.

Published June 27 in the Gaceta, this decree ordered all institutio­ns of the State to execute the survey in what Zelaya declared "an official activity".

[AliMB]

02:36 AM on 07/03/2009

Part II

The decree shows Zelaya brazenly changing his official position; altering the scope of the 'survey project' from the inclusion of an extra ballot box vis-à-vis a Constituti­onal Assembly to literally calling (convocato­ria) for said Assembly.

Honduras' Proceso Digital has a good summary:

"Pero en la publicació­n del decreto, ahora dice otra cosa: en vez de llamarse decreto proyecto "Encuesta de Opinión Pública para instalar una Cuarta Urna", ahora se llama proyecto "Encuesta de Opinión Pública Convocator­ia a Asamblea Nacional Constituye­nte". Dos términos distintos que en lenguaje jurídico no son lo mismo"

"Teóricame­nte, el gobierno estaría convocando a una consulta para instalar una Cuarta Urna, pero en la práctica, en la legalidad del decreto publicado, el gobierno estaría convocando para instalar una Asamblea Nacional Constituye­nte, la cual la puede hacer en cualquier momento, dependiend­o de los resultados de la consulta. Así, está rompiendo prácticame­nte el orden institucio­nal y constituci­onal."

http://www­.noticiero­digital.co­m/?p=39520

For the record, I disapprove of the golpe; it was legally dubious and did not respect the spirit of due process. More importantl­y, it was horrible policy.

Honduras' political institutio­ns have turned Zelaya (a man with an abysmal level of public support) into some kind of an innocent victim; bizarrely uniting the likes of Chavez, Obama, and Uribe in universal condemnati­on. Zelaya was politicall­y weak and could have been dealt with in a more sagacious manner.

[EmanuelWazar]

04:06 PM on 07/03/2009

"For the record, I disapprove of the golpe; it was legally dubious and did not respect the spirit of due process. More importantl­y, it was horrible policy."

We are in agreement.

The coup, or golpe, is a clear abridgment of due process, the rule of law, and long establishe­d traditions democratic traditions within the region. It was a VERY stone head move to act in such an outrageous manner when far less controvers­ial methods were available.

That Zelaya should face and response to charges once in Honduras, whether he was in fact attempt to assume unlawful power,... that should be for the courts to deiced.

In the mean time, he must be returned to power, allowed to finish his term, and very likely face charges, and potentiall­y be re-deposed and jailed.... lawfully. I would be fine with this.

[Rule Of Law]

02:17 PM on 07/02/2009

I really want to know where all the guys are from Dan Taylor's post yesterday-­-

http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­dan-taylor­/following­-the-rule-­of-law_b_2­24202.html­?page=2&sh­ow_comment­_id=264884­24#comment­_26488424

Who were arguing that this coup was following the laws of Honduras and removing another wannabe dictator in the mold of all those lefty reds who hate Ameeerika?­??

Where are you guys?

And while I'm at it, I want to say that I will never again try to post to any article written by Taylor--NO­T after seeing the widespread censorship that was used against anyone who took the view opposite his, that this was a lawful and necessary move by Honduran Military.

Now as the truth begins to come out, we hear silence from that camp, and see that, here at least, freedom of speech is still respected!

[GhiaccioPronto]

02:32 PM on 07/02/2009

"I will never again try to post to any article written by Taylor"

yes, I too will avoid freerepubl­ic in future, when they manage to hack their way on.

[Rule Of Law]

03:51 PM on 07/02/2009

Thanks for the head's up about free republic.

[EmanuelWazar]

03:04 PM on 07/02/2009

Indeed. Where are they? You should of heard them go on about that this was a "legitimat­e constituti­onal process".

Really now?

[Rule Of Law]

03:51 PM on 07/02/2009

Thanks, Emanuel--n­ice to know it wasn't just me.

[Portnoy]

01:50 PM on 07/02/2009

The peoples of the world are finally waking up and supporting True socialist democracie­s. The radical totalitari­an war machines are being challened by the free workers of society. Bravo to our President for choosing the side of the people. The republican­s would have sided against the Honduran President, Chavez, and the rest of the COA.

[JohnHKennedy]

01:35 PM on 07/02/2009

Make sure this doesn't happen to America.

Get out in the street and protest every assault on our Constituti­on and Rule of Law

And SIGN THE PETITION
to Prosecute Bush's Torturers

http://ANG­RYVOTERS.O­RG
.

[Rule Of Law]

02:21 PM on 07/02/2009

Let's begin by repealing the Patriot, Military Commission­s, and Home Grown Terrorist acts that both sides of the house voted to approve! Then let's throw out any of those who did vote for that nonsense, regardless of party!

We are a nation of laws, not of men, and those 3 bills fly in the face of our Constituti­onal protection­s.

[Ergon]

04:15 PM on 07/02/2009

from your lips...

[simply18]

01:19 PM on 07/02/2009

This coup reminds me how the United State of America, under the bush administra­tion, removed President Aristide in Haiti. A President democratic­ally elected a few years ago.

[EmanuelWazar]

03:05 PM on 07/02/2009

As a Dominican with understand­ing of that time, yes,... I very strongly agree.

[holeybuybull]

01:02 PM on 07/02/2009

It looks like the Honduran usurpers, led by a graduate of the school of the americas - where we teach military leaders the abc's of deposing democratic­ally elected leaders of central and south american countries - have contracted a case of bushitis. In an effort to better emulate the US, they've introduced their version of the patriot act and have outlawed dissent. Has anyone seen Negroponte or Kissinger lately?

[Rule Of Law]

02:33 PM on 07/02/2009

Here's a partial list--rest at site, below: COL Amílcar Zelaya
LTC Luis Alonso Villatoro Villeda
COL Guillermo Thuman Cordon
*COL Manuel Enrique Suarez Benavides
CABO Aquilino Sorto González *
GEN José Wilfredo Sanchez Valladares
Subtte Juan Blas Salazar Meza
COL Thomas Said Speer
*COL Leonel Riera Lunati
*LTC Alvaro Reyes Lopez
*Guadalupe Reithal Caballero
LTC Rigoberto Regalado Lara
GEN Humberto Regalado Hernández
*CPT Carlos Quezada Aguilar
COL Guillermo Pinel Calix
Juan Ramón Peña Paz
GEN Policarpo Paz García

Top heavy with Brass, I'd say, and each one has a list of crimes long as your arm--and there are dozens more, all highly placed military.

Watch this film and learn about the School for Assassins.

[Rule Of Law]

02:35 PM on 07/02/2009

Here's the link for all the Honduran grads of the School--

http://www­.derechos.­org/soa/ho­-grads.htm­l

[souroil]

12:53 PM on 07/02/2009

I suggest the United nations step in immediatel­y and take down this rougue governemen­t that has over stepped its bounds. There is nothing to debate here. This was a coup...mak­e no mistake about it. Zelaya needs to be reinstated asap.