Honduras’ dictator Micheletti scoffs off lack of international support after coup
Honduras’ new dictator Roberto Micheletti has little if any support in the face of unanimous international condemnation of his coup d’etat. Micheletti seemed to toss international public opinion to the wind earlier today as members of the OAS and other countries denounced the coup d’état which deposed democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya.
This report from Tegucigalpa shows the contempt for world opinion by Micheltetti. The daily El Heraldo — one of the media outlets still allowed to publish in Honduras, because it backs the coup — reported as follows:
“The new president of Honduras, Roberto Micheletti, said he’s not afraid of international isolation after different countries and international organisms demonstrated their discontent with the expulsion of Manuel Zelaya Rosales.
“Micheletti, who a few hours ago was the Speaker of the House, said that neither US President Barack Obama nor Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez would decide what should be done in Honduras…”
On another front, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released the following statement:
“The action taken against Honduran President Mel Zelaya violates the precepts of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and thus should be condemned by all. We call on all parties in Honduras to respect the constitutional order and the rule of law, to reaffirm their democratic vocation, and to commit themselves to resolve political disputes peacefully and through dialogue. Honduras must embrace the very principles of democracy we reaffirmed at the OAS meeting it hosted less than one month ago.”
As reported by The New York Times:
MEXICO CITY — The Honduran president, Manuel Zelaya, was ousted by the army on Sunday after pressing ahead with plans for a referendum that opponents said could lay the groundwork for his eventual re-election, in the first military coup in Central America since the end of the cold war.
Soldiers entered the presidential palace in the capital, Tegucigalpa, and disarmed the presidential guard early Sunday, military officials said. Mr. Zelaya’s private secretary, Eduardo Enrique Reina, confirmed the arrest.
Mr. Zelaya flew into exile in Costa Rica, telling a local television station, “They are creating a monster they will not be able to contain.”
To view the state of siege Honduras is under at present, click and visit this video on You Tube, and although in Spanish, the images are enough to show what is going on.
Alvaro F. Fernandez
