tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post7223615203790273307..comments2024-01-01T19:49:13.788-08:00Comments on The Vigil: Honduras, Si! Zelaya, No!Vigilantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-75381531468477082009-07-06T06:45:02.365-07:002009-07-06T06:45:02.365-07:00There are signs that the Administration wants to b...There are signs that the Administration wants to back off from its previous posture, now that there are rumors of civil war and invasion from Nicaragua.<br><br>Speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the State Department, the officials said the United States and other OAS member countries are coordinating contacts and outreach to facilitate a resolution, despite their insistence on having no formal relations with the interim government.<br><br>The immediate concern, however, was avoiding more bloodshed. Both critics and supporters of Zelaya have staged large demonstrations. The country's Roman Catholic archbishop and its human rights commissioner urged Zelaya to stay away to avoid provoking them.Soros' Proxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04474800402465417916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-10809689604137894592009-07-05T21:04:30.450-07:002009-07-05T21:04:30.450-07:00I don't know Honduras from Adam. But it's ...I don't know Honduras from Adam. But it's clear your regulars don't seem to want to fight you on this one, Vigil.Blogging4Foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518401800031515499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-8127155998273077062009-07-04T08:52:36.989-07:002009-07-04T08:52:36.989-07:00Vigilante, I am one of your "lefty readership...Vigilante, I am one of your "lefty readership" who agrees with you. I have been hesitant to comment on Zelaya or most of the rest of those you described because I wanted to see how it all played out. But it is clear now that Zelaya and Chavez, to name two, are more interested in self-preservation and weaving their own cults of personality than they are in preserving true democracy in their respective countries. <br><br>After years of right wing/military domination which persecuted many of the poor and working people throughout almost all of Central and South America, something HAD to give, though. I support populist reforms being made throughout those regions, but I am unhappy with what appears to be a replacement of right wing strongmen with left wing strongmen in many of those countries. It is a region and situation which always seems in flux, however, and it does bear watching. We can only hope that true democracy will indeed eventually prevail in most of the countries south of our border...Jack Jodellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02165430903903838990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-26388021117308037682009-07-04T08:29:46.001-07:002009-07-04T08:29:46.001-07:00My Lefty readership has dramatically dried up and ...<strong>My Lefty readership has dramatically dried up and witheld comment. I knew I was risking an estrangement as I posted this thread. Undaunted, I have been commenting on blogs (Left & Right) across the Blogosphere. I frequently quote from the following which was published in the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0702/p09s03-coop.html" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Christian Science Monitor</a> by Octavio Sánchez, a lawyer, and a former presidential adviser (2002-05) and minister of culture (2005-06) of the Republic of Honduras:</strong> <br><br>..... On June 26, President Zelaya issued a decree ordering all government employees to take part in the "Public Opinion Poll to convene a National Constitutional Assembly." In doing so, Zelaya triggered a constitutional provision that automatically removed him from office ..... His actions showed intent.....<br><br>According to Article 239 [of the Honduras Constitution]: "No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or <em>proposes its reform</em> , as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will <em>immediately</em> cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years." <br><br>Notice that the article speaks about intent and that it also says "immediately" – as in "instant," as in "no trial required," as in "no impeachment needed."<br><br><strong>Continuismo</strong> – the tendency of heads of state to extend their rule indefinitely – has been the lifeblood of Latin America's authoritarian tradition. The Constitution's provision of instant sanction might sound draconian, but every Latin American democrat knows how much of a threat to our fragile democracies continuismo presents. In Latin America, chiefs of state have often been above the law. The instant sanction of the supreme law has successfully prevented the possibility of a new Honduran continuismo.<br><br>The Supreme Court and the attorney general ordered Zelaya's arrest for disobeying several court orders compelling him to obey the Constitution. He was detained and taken to Costa Rica. Why? Congress needed time to convene and remove him from office. With him inside the country that would have been impossible. This decision was taken by the 123 (of the 128) members of Congress present that day.<br><br>Don't believe the coup myth. The Honduran military acted entirely within the bounds of the Constitution. The military gained nothing but the respect of the nation by its actions .....Vigilantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.com