Honduras: A Sad Situation

by Joel Hendon⁽¹⁸⁰⁾ Red Star

Honduras is a small country only slightly larger than the state of Virginia with a population of approximately 7,300,000. It is very poor with a per capita Gross Domestic Product of $1,630. It is reported to be the third poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. But, it is a democratic republic which has an elected political government and has been a friend to the U.S.

In the Central American region you find dictators who are not friendly to the U.S. In Cuba (Fidel and Raul Castro), Venezuela (Hugo Chavez), Ecuador (Rafael Correa), and Bolivia (Evo Morales). The latter three were elected in legitimate free elections but have finagled themselves into holding full power over their governments...full fledged dictators. Daniel Ortega, of Nicaragua is currently making efforts to change their constitution to allow him to run for re-election.

The crisis now in Honduras is a situation which should not be ignored by any Americans who love this country and it’s way of life. Honduras, although poor, was making some progress under a democratically elected government. Read this paragraph:

The immediate cause of the June coup was clearly the inability of democratic institutions to rein in a president who was violating the law. The military compounded the problem by expelling the president. But the longer-term problem was a decline in the quality of democracy, which hampered the political system's ability to protect citizens and spread prosperity. Poverty remains rampant, corruption pervasive, and crime has gotten worse. In addition, inequality in this vastly unequal society increased during several years in the last decade. And in surveys we have conducted in rural areas, people often report feeling abandoned by an incapable or absent state. (Political Upheaval in Honduras: Daniel Altschuler-Huffingtonpost.com)

Now this small, poor country who was simply trying to improve their nation through legitimate democratic rule when they unknowingly elected a president whose agenda was to violate their constitution and run the country as he wished.

This entire procedure was carried out according to Honduras constitutional measures and no one has found any wrong doing on the part of the present government or the military in deposing Zeyala. Yet those surrounding dictators, and our own president, are ridiculing the current government and advocating the return to power of Zeyala.

Everyone knows the military had a perfect right to depose the man, yet the international community finds any coup distasteful and by the urging of such as Hugo Chavez and others like him, they have persuaded many to place sanctions on this already impoverished country. The congress of Honduras swore in Roberto Micheleti as their new president and after Chavez continued to make disparaging remarks about the new “gorilla government”, Micheleti ordered the Venezuelan diplomats to leave. However, they have refused to leave saying they do not recognize the present government.

One often wonders why president Obama has decided to throw some of our allies under the bus while befriending those who despise us. He has recently decided to scrap the plans for a missile shield project in Poland and the Czech Republic, our allies, while placing a shorter range missile defense system in Turkey. And now, although a tiny nation, Honduras was nevertheless, a friend. Russia approves of the missile defense move but are only claiming a victory by it. They feel as if they backed the U.S. down. Chavez of Venezuela is also probably snickering up his sleeve over having gained support from Obama to browbeat a tiny nation for a totally legitimate and necessary action on their part.

The people of this nation should hang their heads in shame and send apologies to those of our friends who are being scuttled by president Obama while befriending criminal thugs such as Zeyala.

Zeyala, who is presently in Nicaragua, sent a letter to president Obama listing the names of lawmakers and military people who planned the coup. And has asked the president to impose economic sanctions upon them. In the meantime, Venezuela’s Chavez has demanded (??) that the Obama administration do more. Read this:

“Chavez has demanded Washington do more to pressure Micheletti and force Zelaya's return to power, including withdrawing U.S. troops from its Honduran base.” (Honduras Lobbyists For Interim Government Sent To Washington: Mark Stevens-Huffington post)

This dispute arose over the fact that Zeyala refused to accept the ruling of congress and the Honduras courts not to hold a referendum to change the constitution to allow the president to serve more than one term, similar to the one Chavez has finagled.

In eight months, we have apologized to those nations who would destroy us, bowed before monarchs, and hurt our allies feelings. Even those who helped us with the war on Islamic terrorists.

Addendum: BREAKING NEWS: Just published by the Washington Times: "Subverting Honduran Democracy" please go to the following URL and read:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/21/subverting-honduran-democracy/

Article submitted Monday, September 21, 2009 & read 45 times.

Please log in to leave your comments.

» left by Marijo Phelps from mountain meadow CO (2 years 138 days ago.)

THANK YOU _ I have good friends who live there and are citizens - this story needs to be heard and you did a great job here. Marijo

3-1-0-0-3-ADWR

Most Recent

Sponsors: