Very interesting article in the Miami Herald. They interview a military attorney.
''The people who did this have no intention of reversing what they did,'' Insulza said. ``Unfortunately, conditions to not exist for Zelaya's return.''
At least this rules out Zelaya arriving into the country by force?
''We know there was a crime there,'' said Inestroza, the top legal advisor for the Honduran armed forces. ``In the moment that we took him out of the country, in the way that he was taken out, there is a crime. Because of the circumstances of the moment this crime occurred, there is going to be a justification and cause for acquittal that will protect us.''
Yow. First time I've heard someone admit to doing something wrong. And then, this:
So when the powers of state united in demanding his ouster, the military put a pajama-clad Zelaya on a plane and sent him to Costa Rica. The rationale: Had Zelaya been jailed, throngs of loyal followers would have erupted into chaos and demanded his release with violence, Inestroza said.
I think we all know that this, sadly, would have been the likely outcome of keeping him here to be arrested. Heh, not even likely. It WOULD have gone down in flames. But again, DO the ends justify the means?
U.S. State Department lawyers are studying whether the action should be legally considered a military coup, even though the person who was constitutionally next in line took power.
That's the big complication here, I think. Micheletti has been wise (for his own benefit, I'm sure, but still) to keep his government within the rule of law--so FAR. Of course things would be easier if we could just fast forward to the November elections and see if Micheletti keeps to his word.
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So now we're waiting to hear what the OAS does about us. How this will affect our miserabl excuse for an economy is still to be seen.
OK I'm gonna take a break from the news all day. I am so stressed out I can barely sleep. Ugh. I'm exhausted.
I want a burger and fireworks. Americans get to have all the fun. Happy Birthday, USA!
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2 comments:
Figgy, is there anything to the shutting down media and arrests of opposition?
The more I read about this the more this sounds like an illegal coup to protect the interests of the right wing elite, much like the coup against Aristide in Haiti. It seems even the people behind the coup know it was illegal (but still justified of course). The Honduran constitution and its specifications on term limits was clearly drawn up with the US's interests in mind and to protect any left wing leader from implementing too much change. To hide behind the constitution seems much more problematic than it initially appears.
The irony is the coup has turned Honduras into more of a Cuba than anything Zelaya ever did. Like Cuba in the 60s, Honduras finds itself (even more) internationally isolated and threatened with invasion.
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