Why Are We Mistreating Honduras? Updated!

Via Memeorandum:


In Hillary's Honduras Obsession, Mary O’Grady writes:

Ever since Manuel Zelaya was removed from the Honduran presidency by that
country's Supreme Court and Congress on June 28 for violations of the
constitution, the Obama administration has insisted, without any legal basis,
that the incident amounts to a "coup d'état" and must be reversed. President
Obama has dealt harshly with Honduras, and Americans have been asked to trust
their president's proclamations.

Now a report filed at the Library of Congress by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides what the administration has not offered, a serious legal review of the facts. "Available sources indicate that the judicial and legislative branches applied
constitutional and statutory law in the case against President Zelaya in a
manner that was judged by the Honduran authorities from both branches of the
government to be in accordance with the Honduran legal system," writes CRS
senior foreign law specialist Norma C. Gutierrez in her report.

Why, under orders from the administration, is Clinton dealing so harshly with a country that we should be heralding as a democratic partner in the Americas? One would think that we would encourage Honduras as a counter-balance to Chavez’s Venezuela. Instead, against the opinion of the CRS and public opinion, we are using our might to crush democracy.

Under the Honduras constitution, that country was legally obligated to remove former president Zelaya from office. The Honduran Supreme Court followed the letter of their law. At worst, we should interfere in that country’s sovereign affairs; at best, we should extend our hand to our fellow democracy.

Update:

Fausta's Blog is reporting that former president Zelaya is back in Honduras and hiding out in the Brazilian embassy. No word on what he hopes to accomplish unless he is trying to provoke a confrontation.

I Am Embarrassed

It seems either the English-speaking media is still sleeping since Friday night or they can't find anyone who speaks Spanish. Two days have gone by and no one has been able to translate the numerous articles that have come out around the world regarding the seizure of computers in Zelaya's Presidential Palace containing the results of a referendum vote that never took place.

That is the analysis from Babalu of the coverage that the crisis in Honduras is receiving both from the MSM and the blogosphere. Sadly, it is all too true and I have nothing to say except, "guilty as charged."

Honestly, the only blog that I follow who has kept up with this very important story is Legal Insurrection. I am not going to argue (make excuses) that I have been distracted by socialized health care or Cap and Tax, both I consider to be threats to the fundamentals of democracy.

The events in Honduras are a concrete example of what happens to people that fall asleep at the switch. It may start with cozy, feel good programs like health care but it ends up with dictatorship. If we stand for freedom then lets get up off our collective asses and STAND UP!

Our government has backed the despot Zelaya. This is an affront to freedom and no less deserving of attention than the other crap our government is trying to pull off.

Pay attention.

Democracy And Faux Leadership

Those of us who believe that “democracy” is not a dirty word are understandably keeping a close eye on Iran and Honduras. The fall back position of the Administration is that we, the United States, MUST support the “democratically elected” leaders of Iran and Honduras. This is completely disingenuous, as pointed out by Sen, DeMint in the following clip provided by The Other McCain. Sen. DeMint rightfully states that dictators often use the mantle of democracy to legitimize their despotic rule. There is no shortage of illegitimate “elected” rulers who fall in to this category; Chavez, Castro, Noriega and to a lesser state, but no less the same, Franken. Using either force or deceptive practices contradicts democracy and negates any protected status falsely elected “leaders” claim.

The Changing Face Of "Democracy"

Democracy under President George W. Bush:





Democracy under President Barack H. Obama:



Manuel Zelaya, bolstered by his cronies, Chavez, Castro and Noriega, is hoping to spark bloodshed by returning to Honduras. Where does President make his stand? On the wrong side of freedom, of course.

As Prof. Jacobson states,

Reports are that ousted President Manuel Zelaya will return to Honduras Sunday, July 5, regardless of what Hondurans want. The Catholic Church in Honduras has asked Zelaya not to return to avoid bloodshed, and the military says that it intends on arresting him on court warrants if he returns.


Venezuela has already spoken of returning Zelaya to power, by force, if necessary. The dictators in the region, aided and abetted by President Obama will use any violence caused by Zelaya’s return as an excuse to invade.

Obama has good reason to fall back on the often meaningless term “democratically elected.” It provides cover for dictatorships who manipulate the ballot box to achieve the desired result. But the people in Iran and Honduras recognize it for what it is, moral duplicity.

Updated:
Fausta is putting out continuous updates Legal Insurrection is following Hunter’s Smith’s on the ground reports. Smith is a former Marine who is posting at Honduras Abandoned. The name of Smith’s blog should stir shame in all free people. Honduras is not some far flung place on the other side of the world (not that it should matter). We should pull out of the OAS and stand up for our neighbors who support freedom and democracy.

Support For Democracy In Honduras

Via Babalu

“Americans should support the Honduran people and their legitimate leaders in their brave and heroic stand for freedom and the rule of law.”
Jim DeMint (R-SC)

The Statement:

"The people of Honduras have struggled too long to have their hard-won democracy stolen from them by a Chavez-style dictator. The Honduran Congress, the Honduran Supreme Court, and the Honduran military have acted in accordance to the Honduran constitution and the rule of law.

“For weeks leading to his arrest, Zelaya flouted the constitutional authority of the Honduran Congress and Supreme Court, and claimed for himself extra-constitutional control of his nation’s military and political institutions. Every institution from the Electoral Tribunal to the Supreme Court ruled that his actions were unjustified and illegal. Zelaya’s open defiance of democratic norms has set Honduras on a path toward violence, instability, and tyranny.
“I am hopeful that as President Obama grows in office, he will eventually turn away from despots like Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, and Zelaya, and give the United States’ full-throated support to the people of any country who are fighting for the same values we cherish and defend in America. The people fighting for freedom around the world, in Iran and Honduras, should never have to wonder which side America will choose between freedom and tyranny.

“President Obama’s call for the reinstatement of Zelaya is a slap in the face to the people of Honduras. And the resolution written by the Organization of American States tramples over the hopes and dreams of a free and democratic people.

“The rule of law is working in Honduras. President Obama should not undermine the democratic institutions that guarantee freedom by forcing an illegitimate President back into power.

“This is not an ideal transition, but Hondurans are adhering to their constitution. The United States should support the Honduran people and their legitimate leaders in their brave and heroic stand for freedom and the rule of law.”

Did you that thousands took the streets of Honduras in support of their new president?
Probably not if you get your news from the MSM. Gateway Pundit has the story.

As always, Fausta is on top of the latest on Honduras.

Obama's Fiends, Er, I Mean Friends

Having flatly stated that he doesn’t believe in meddling in the affairs of other countries, Obama has pulled a 180 when it comes to the affairs of Honduras. Professor Jacobson:

While Obama improves relations with Venezuela, Obama has cut military ties to Honduras, is considering a cut-off of all aid, is doing nothing to stop loan suspensions by international organizations over which the U.S. has substantial influence, and is supporting international efforts to isolate Honduras.

Poor and tiny Honduras faces the full wrath of the United States, United Nations, and much of the rest of the world, while nothing is done about Iran. On Iran, Obama and the world acted with the utmost deference, and there were no efforts by the Obama administration at international action. None.

The Administration has justified its actions by keeping the word “coup” in play. Edward Luttwak says: “A coup consists of the infiltration of a small, but critical, segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to displace the government from its control of the remainder”. By this definition the events in Honduras certainly were not a coup. But Obama is interested in the definition, he uses the word for its emotional impact and the imagery conjured by it.

For those who prefer facts to emotional trickery Fausta's should be the first stop.

Noteworthy reading: Honduras Under The Bus and Obama Allies Rally With Ousted Honduran Leftist Zelaya

Obama And Consistency

Via Babalu:

Krauthammer on Honduras via NRO

Well, the president has a knack for getting all of these big decisions wrong. Two weeks ago, he refuses to meddle in a country where peaceful demonstrators are getting shot by a theocratic dictatorship. He doesn't want to choose sides.

And now he's eager to meddle on behalf of the president in Honduras who is a Chavez wannabe, who is strong-arming his way to a referendum—that has been declared illegal by his Supreme Court—as a way to...establish a constituent assembly which will establish a new constitution, which will be a Chavez-like dictatorship.

In both Iran and Honduras, President Obama has been absolutely consistent. He is against freedom. He has stated repeatedly that he would meet with Ahmadinejad without preconditions and current events haven’t changed his mind. He wants to ‘normalize’ relations with Chavez and Bashar al-Assad. Now, he is calling for the re-instatement of a president who has acted in direct contradiction to his own country’s Constitution. What are we to make of that? Is up now down?

If Barack Obama symbolizes anything, it is not hope or change; it is The Ruling Class and the concentration of power. How many times since the swearing in has he announced, “I’ve appointed …who will report directly to me.”? We’re up to what, twenty ’czars’, replete with staffs and multi-million dollar budgets, accountable to one man only. And now we have word of a Queen.

If Obama seems at best unconcerned about the ‘will of the people’ in other lands he has been contemptuous towards the opinions of the citizens in his own country. To his credit, he’ll never be accused of ruling by poll results.

The upshot is that Obama admires the Ahmadinejads, Chavezs and Castros of the world. Look for more and more control to become more and more concentrated.

BREAKING NEWS!

Via Babalu:

The Real Cuba reports:

June 28 - Honduran president José Manuel Zelaya, an ally of Hugo Chávez and the Castro brothers, was arrested on Sunday morning by soldiers.

Zelaya had pledged to go forward with a referendum on constitutional reform despite the opposition of the Supreme Court, the military, Congress and members of his own party.
Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez was behind Zelaya's illegal referendum.

Zelaya was trying to follow the same tactic used by Chávez and his puppets in Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador of trying to change the constitution to allow them to remain in power for life.

Planes from the Venezuelan Air Force had landed in Honduras to bring all the materials required for Sunday's referendum, despite the decision by Honduras' Supreme Court that it was illegal.

Earlier this month, after the OAS met in Honduras and decided to lift the sanctions against the Castro regime, Zelaya was full of praise for the Cuban dictator.

I have had the news on all morning and I hadn't heard this but then, Micael Jackson is still dominating the airwaves. This is one hell of a development. I'll update as more becomes known.

UPDATE: The L.A. Times confirms that a coup as taken place:

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — More than a dozen soldiers arrested President Manuel Zelaya and disarmed his security guards after surrounding his residence before dawn Sunday, his private secretary said. Protesters called it a coup and flocked to the presidential palace as local news media reported that Zelaya was sent into exile.The chief executive was detained shortly before voting was to begin on a constitutional referendum the president had insisted on holding even though the Supreme Court ruled it illegal and everyone from the military to Congress and members of his own party opposed it.

From RedState:

Fausta has background here: if you don’t have time to read it, note that proto-dictator Hugo Chavez (and whoever’s channeling Fidel Castro this week) is spitting nails on this. Given that, as the Wall Street Journal notes, this entire thing got started over President Zelaya’s attempt to set up a referendum* in opposition to pretty much the opposition of the rest of the Honduran government, civilian and military… well. A man is known by his friends, and I wish I knew what the equivalent Spanish idiom is.

Moe Lane

*One that would allow him to run for re-election. The Honduras Constitution forbids that; given of what I know of South American history, this isn’t exactly surprising

Fox News is finally reporting on this . Our President has released a brief statement that basically said, "let's all play nice." Remember, this came to pass because Zelaya was trying to ala Castro and Chavez have himself named President for Life. Perhaps Obama should speak out a little more strongly, unless of course, he has no problem with the concept of a lifelong presidency.

UPDATE: It seems that these days it is quicker and easier to get breaking news from Twitter than from the MSM. So go to Twitter Breaking News for the latest.

Both Obama and Sec. Clinton have voiced their support for Pres. Zelaya and “the rule of law.” What a joke. Have either of them ever heard of FREEDOM? Zelaya was trying to follow in the footsteps of his buddies Castro, Chavez and Ortega. Holding an election when the results have already been pre-determined does not a democracy make. Once again, Obama has shown that he has little regard for the principals he took an oath to defend.

The latest update from Fausta:

Zelaya was arrested right before the voting on the referendum was scheduled to start. The referendum had been declared unlawful by the country’s courts.

Noticias24 reports that four units of 200 soldiers stormed the presidential residence at 6AM.
Electricity has been cut off in the capital, and it is rumored that Zelaya has been flown out of the country.

It’ll be interesting to watch what Hugo Chavez’s reaction will be, considering that he was saying
Hugo Chavez declared that “we are not going to watch with our arms crossed the goings-on in Honduras,” and insisted “we will do what we will have to do so the sovereignty of the Honduran people will be respected.”

Unconfirmed rumors say that Zelaya was flown to Venezuela.