Mobile version

Honduras: A Deal Is Made?

by: davidseth

Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 06:53:45 PDT        
| More


( - promoted by buhdydharma )

After months of repression by the golpistas in Honduras and resistance and demonstrations by pro-democracy forces, it appears that there's finally been a deal to restore the rightful president Manual Zelaya to power for the last few months of his presidential term.  If that happens, the crisis in Honduras is over.

The New York Times says there's a deal in its headline.  The details aren't quite as firm:

A lingering political crisis in Honduras seemed to be nearing an end on Friday after the de facto government agreed to a deal, pending legislative approval, that would allow Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president, to return to office.

The government of Roberto Micheletti, which had refused to let Mr. Zelaya return, signed an agreement with Mr. Zelaya's negotiators late Thursday that would pave the way for the Honduran Congress to restore the ousted president and allow him to serve out the remaining three months of his term. If Congress agrees, control of the army would shift to the electoral court, and the presidential election set for Nov. 29 would be recognized by both sides.

On Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called the deal "an historic agreement."

"I cannot think of another example of a country in Latin America that, having suffered a rupture of its democratic and constitutional order, overcame such a crisis through negotiation and dialogue," Mrs. Clinton said in Islamabad, where she has been meeting with Pakistani officials.

The deal, however, hasn't been inked yet.  There are details to be worked out between the golpistas and Zelaya, and of course, the Honduras Congress has to approve the pact:

Negotiators for both men were expected to meet Friday to work out final details. It was not clear what would happen if the Honduran Congress rejected the deal.

Passage could mean a bookend to months of international pressure and political turmoil in Honduras, where regular marches by Mr. Zelaya's supporters and curfews have paralyzed the capital.

This is the most hopeful news since the June coup d'etat in Nicaragua.  I'm cautiously optimistic that democracy will now be restored in Honduras.

davidseth :: Honduras: A Deal Is Made?
Tags: , , , , , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email

Tips for the restoration of democracy in Honduras. (4.00 / 3)
Thanks for reading. I hope this is the last essay I write about this topic.

Visit The Dream Antilles, a Lit Blog.

Hmm. Are there political prisoners there? (4.00 / 1)
Death squads?  What kind of an election can there be now?

What was the US military/CIA  involvement in this in the first place?



This is a recap, in the hope of answering your questions. (4.00 / 2)
No death squads this time around.  Lots of repression by the government in terms of shooting and/or arresting demonstrators, closing down media (Radio Globo and Channel 37), surrounding and harrassing the Brazilian embassy where Zelaya found asylum.

"If the first place" is hard.  I suppose that you could begin at School of the Americas and track that to the golpista military.  A closer focus would be that when the coup occurred in the end of June, the US cut off all non-humanitarian aid and joined with OAS, the UN, and all of Honduras's neighbors in calling for the restoration of Zelaya.

The golpistas were helped by Republican Senators and operatives and also by Lanny Davis.

There can be a free and fair election this time around provided that the golpe is ended and Zelaya is returned to power and the election is monitored by the usual monitors.  Neither Micheletti nor Zelaya will be a candidate, so the political parties don't have to worry about an incumbent (there's no presidential succession in Honduras).  And there's still time to announce a candidacy and to run if the election is held as scheduled on 11/29.  OAS, UN, etc etc all agree that a free and fair election cannot be held during the coup and have said as much.

Visit The Dream Antilles, a Lit Blog.


[ Parent ]
Its a sham, IMO (4.00 / 2)
Read this, and my reply there. I'd C&P, but am getting ready for my Blog Talki Radio show in a bout an hour and a half:)

You should stop in and call in sometime, dear!

http://thewildwildleft.soapblo...

Visit me @ The Wild Wild Left! Crossposting is good for us all!


Nice post. Thanks. nt (4.00 / 1)


Visit The Dream Antilles, a Lit Blog.

[ Parent ]
I am reminded of an old TV series: (4.00 / 1)
-- Let's Make A Deal -- and imagine how it would go for the Honduran people were they to be picked as contestants:

Monty: Behind Door #1, we have... global capitalism!

Audience: BOOOOOO!  BOOOOOO!

"Mientras el trabajo sea una comodidad, un mecanismo de extracción de plusvalía y un arma de alienación, el sistema y sus miserias sobrevivirán."  -Peter McLaren


And behind door number two we have (4.00 / 1)
the imperialist's jackbooted foot placed on your neck for 3 years...

Visit The Dream Antilles, a Lit Blog.

[ Parent ]
Reform Immigration -
March for America
Sunday, March 21
 

March on Washington
Saturday, March 20
 

 

Menu

Make a New Account

Username:

Password:



Forget your username or password?

Contact Us

Seek




Advanced Search


Contribute to Docudharma
 

 
     

 

DharmaDocs
- Mission Statement
- FAQ
- HTML Help
- Dharmapedia
- Series
www.flickr.com

Action

Powered by: SoapBlox