I bet you didn't know there was a coup d'etat (golpe de estado) in Honduras today! That's because the US media is barely covering it. Here is the New York Times coverage, and the coverage was much better on CNN.com, but you really had to look for it and finally it was a headline on Fox News
So basically this is what is going on, from my understanding: The President of Honduras, Mr. Zelaya, wants to be able to be elected for another term, but the constitutional law in Honduras only allows for one 4 year term. There was supposed referendum held today in Honduras to measure the popular support for this change. The Supreme Court of Honduras ruled that the referendum was illegal. Last week President Zelaya fired the head of the military because he refused to aid in conducting the vote. There was some unrest and the airport was shut down for a day.
This morning the military kidnapped the Zelaya and sent him to Costa Rica. Supposedly the ambassadors of Nicaragua and Venezuela were also kidnapped, but that is unconfirmed at this moment. The coup was a drastic way for the judiciary branch to enforce their ruling that the vote was illegal and Zelaya was breaking the law by going forward with the vote. From what I can understand from the press conference that is on right now, Zelaya will be coming to Managua tomorrow with President Arias to meet, GREAT!
The Congress in Honduras just read a bogus letter of resignation from Zelaya and it seemed that the majority of the Congress voted to accept it. This is yet to be confirmed.
I have been meaning to write about the political situation in Central America for a couple days now and share my thoughts and then this happens! I will write more soon about the dangerous bedfellows here in CA and how it connects with Iran.
I just found a video on CNN, it looks like they are finally picking up the story! (We will forgive the former ambassador for mispronouncing coup)
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Update: Congress names a new provisional president and says Zelaya being removed was not a coup, it was only the military enforcing the Supreme Court ruling.
Here is the latest from CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/28/honduras.president.arrested/index.html
My favorite part is when Chavez says the US was behind the coup, crazy-ass Chavez!
The new president is currently giving an impassioned speech and everyone seems very happy about it. We will see how it continues to develop...
CNN en espanol has switched and taken the side of the new president of Honduras. It is said that the constitution does not allow for a change in the law regarding the president's term in office and to try to make a change is against the law. Therefore Zelaya was removed because he broke the law. If this is all true than it would seem that the coup is not an endangerment to democracy but rather a supporter of it. That is if the new president follows the constitution and then follows up by holding free elections. It is my belief that any democracy run by the likes of Ortega or Chavez or anyone in cahoots with them, is in danger, especially when they look to Fidel Castro as a God, it is sickening!
I just read that your mayor was killed last night, crazy political times down there. The article I read mostly talked about his boxing career and not much about his political career. Will he be greatly missed?
Hey Stu-
I am glad news is breaking there, I feel like they dont give Central America the news coverage it deserves.
Yes, the mayor committed suicide, I just wrote a little about it today...it was of course surprising and certainly sad.
He was more known as being a great boxer, his political career was just beginning, and filled with controversy over the fraudulent elections. Unfortunately he seemed to many as a puppet and the brains of the operation is Fidel Moreno, the secretary of something in the mayor's office.
Anyway, I wish I had more time to write about whats going on down here, I have been reading every article I can and talking with so many people, I have so many swirling thoughts in my head. But today is all about packing for Boston!
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