Roberto Michiletti, interim President of Honduras has an article in the Wall Street Journal today titled, The Path Forward For Honduras, which spells out clearly, with factual evidence, what happened in Honduras, why it was entirely legal, and what should happen next.
Micheletti has been a voice of reason through the entire process, and continues to be so. It appears to me his main concern really is the people and the Constitution of Honduras. Maybe we should listen to him.
Showing posts with label roberto michiletti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roberto michiletti. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Micheletti Talks Tough In Honduras
Newly sworn in Honduran President Micheletti, refusing to bow to international pressure to restore ousted President Zelaya, has made his position clear:
Micheletti has also reiterated his promise to fulfill the current presidential term, support popular elections in November, and has said he will not run for office. Although media outlets are claiming that the United States has called for Zelaya's return, I don't see that as true. In a press conference on Monday, Secretary Clinton said that the US concern is the return of "constitutional order" in Honduras, not specifically the reinstatement of Zelaya. She further pointed out that she does not believe a coup took place in Honduras, but that it has developed into one, whatever that means.
President Micheletti's foreign minster Enrique Ortez has also announced that the presidents of Argentina and Ecuador, and the heads of the OAS and the U.N. General Assembly who have agreed to accompany Zelaya back to Honduras will be barred from entering the country is they attempt to restore Zelaya to office, rather than turn him over to Honduran custody. Micheletti has again insisted that Zelaya will be arrested if he returns, citing multiple legal infringements by the former president, including failure to submit a budget to Congress last year, and a last minute alteration to a ballot question which would have allowed him to seek re-election. Zelaya has since promised he would not seek to extend his term of office, but has been rebuffed and will not be offered reconciliation.
Micheletti has been sworn in by the Honduran Congress. He is president. Any coup that takes place at this point will be orchestrated by outside governments. And if that happens, we will surely see a "return to the past" that Hugo Chavez warns of. It seems to me that although using the military to arrest and remove the president is a bit regressive, there was ample evidence that Zelaya had in fact violated Constitutional law in Honduras and fully intended to continue doing so, and his removal was technically carried out by the letter of the law. I don't see where "constitutional order" in Honduras has failed, and Micheletti's interim government does seem to be fully above board. Also, the assignation of the term "military coup" is alarmist and inaccurate -- as I have said, in order for it to be a military coup, a military leader would have to have been set in Zelaya's place. The military was used to remove Zelaya from office, and his constitutionally mandated successor was sworn in.
"[Zelaya] has already committed crimes against the constitution and the law. He can no longer return to the presidency of the republic unless a president from another Latin American country comes and imposes him using guns. No one can make me resign if I do not violate the laws of the country. If there is any invasion against our country, 7.5 million Hondurans will be ready to defend our territory and our laws and our homeland and our government."
Micheletti has also reiterated his promise to fulfill the current presidential term, support popular elections in November, and has said he will not run for office. Although media outlets are claiming that the United States has called for Zelaya's return, I don't see that as true. In a press conference on Monday, Secretary Clinton said that the US concern is the return of "constitutional order" in Honduras, not specifically the reinstatement of Zelaya. She further pointed out that she does not believe a coup took place in Honduras, but that it has developed into one, whatever that means.
President Micheletti's foreign minster Enrique Ortez has also announced that the presidents of Argentina and Ecuador, and the heads of the OAS and the U.N. General Assembly who have agreed to accompany Zelaya back to Honduras will be barred from entering the country is they attempt to restore Zelaya to office, rather than turn him over to Honduran custody. Micheletti has again insisted that Zelaya will be arrested if he returns, citing multiple legal infringements by the former president, including failure to submit a budget to Congress last year, and a last minute alteration to a ballot question which would have allowed him to seek re-election. Zelaya has since promised he would not seek to extend his term of office, but has been rebuffed and will not be offered reconciliation.
Micheletti has been sworn in by the Honduran Congress. He is president. Any coup that takes place at this point will be orchestrated by outside governments. And if that happens, we will surely see a "return to the past" that Hugo Chavez warns of. It seems to me that although using the military to arrest and remove the president is a bit regressive, there was ample evidence that Zelaya had in fact violated Constitutional law in Honduras and fully intended to continue doing so, and his removal was technically carried out by the letter of the law. I don't see where "constitutional order" in Honduras has failed, and Micheletti's interim government does seem to be fully above board. Also, the assignation of the term "military coup" is alarmist and inaccurate -- as I have said, in order for it to be a military coup, a military leader would have to have been set in Zelaya's place. The military was used to remove Zelaya from office, and his constitutionally mandated successor was sworn in.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
US Meddles Elsewhere, Gets Praised
Here's what I don't understand: in Iran, we ("we" being the US government) support a popular uprising against a totalitarian regime which is clearly trying to suppress democracy. In Honduras, we are calling for the immediate return of a president who was ousted by his own government for attempting to circumvent due process and illegally extend his term of office.
President Manuel Zelaya has been removed from office in Honduras, by what is being called a "military coup." First let me ask you, if you were going to arrest the president, would you send the quilting circle? In order for it to be a "military coup," a military leader would have to have been set in Zelaya's place. Instead, his legitimate Constitutional successor, Roberto Micheletti, Speaker of the Honduran Congress was sworn in, and has vowed solely to serve out the remainder of Zelaya's term and to support the upcoming November presidential elections. Zelaya was removed from office because he persisted in trying to get a referendum to extend his non-renewable four-year term of office in spite of legal barriers legitimately placed in front of him by the Honduran Congress, Supreme Court and ultimately the military who carried out his removal. What were they supposed to do? Sit by and let him ignore the laws of the land and stay in office?
Comparisons to Iran already abound, spurred by an outbreak of protests in Honduras. I still say there is little comparison. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called the coup a "return to the past," and says, "We will not permit it." What we? You and President Obama? Since when is the US taking counsel from Hugo Chavez? And a return to what past? You mean Chavez' own failed coup attempt in 1992 that landed him in jail for 2 years? Of course Hugo Chavez wants one of his fellow dictators returned to power. The only comparison in Honduras to Iran is that there are protests going on. Zelaya was legitimately removed from power with the backing of both the legislative and judicial branches of the Honduran government, for abuses of power and for violating provisions of their Constitution. Even if he does return to Honduras, it has been made clear he will be arrested and placed on trial for crimes against the country. Moreover, the new president, Mr, Micheletti has the full support of the Honduran Congress and has already sworn in a new cabinet. Zelaya will not be returning to power in Honduras. There is no such uniformity of opinion in the Iranian government, and the situation in Honduras is opposite what is happening in Iran; the Honduran government used legal precedent to get rid of someone who was trampling all over their laws, placing his own ambitions ahead of due process -- and they replaced him with his Constitutional successor. In Iran, the regime has suppressed democracy, staged a sham election, and refused to follow fair reconciliation processes. I don't see that happening in Honduras.
OK, now I've spelled it out for myself, I get it. We can't "meddle" in Iran because they might nuke us down the road, or maybe worse, take the choke chain off Hezbollah. But we can meddle in Latin America because they are really just an adjunct to America anyway. If they get too pushy, we'll just slap them back into the corner.
President Manuel Zelaya has been removed from office in Honduras, by what is being called a "military coup." First let me ask you, if you were going to arrest the president, would you send the quilting circle? In order for it to be a "military coup," a military leader would have to have been set in Zelaya's place. Instead, his legitimate Constitutional successor, Roberto Micheletti, Speaker of the Honduran Congress was sworn in, and has vowed solely to serve out the remainder of Zelaya's term and to support the upcoming November presidential elections. Zelaya was removed from office because he persisted in trying to get a referendum to extend his non-renewable four-year term of office in spite of legal barriers legitimately placed in front of him by the Honduran Congress, Supreme Court and ultimately the military who carried out his removal. What were they supposed to do? Sit by and let him ignore the laws of the land and stay in office?
Comparisons to Iran already abound, spurred by an outbreak of protests in Honduras. I still say there is little comparison. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called the coup a "return to the past," and says, "We will not permit it." What we? You and President Obama? Since when is the US taking counsel from Hugo Chavez? And a return to what past? You mean Chavez' own failed coup attempt in 1992 that landed him in jail for 2 years? Of course Hugo Chavez wants one of his fellow dictators returned to power. The only comparison in Honduras to Iran is that there are protests going on. Zelaya was legitimately removed from power with the backing of both the legislative and judicial branches of the Honduran government, for abuses of power and for violating provisions of their Constitution. Even if he does return to Honduras, it has been made clear he will be arrested and placed on trial for crimes against the country. Moreover, the new president, Mr, Micheletti has the full support of the Honduran Congress and has already sworn in a new cabinet. Zelaya will not be returning to power in Honduras. There is no such uniformity of opinion in the Iranian government, and the situation in Honduras is opposite what is happening in Iran; the Honduran government used legal precedent to get rid of someone who was trampling all over their laws, placing his own ambitions ahead of due process -- and they replaced him with his Constitutional successor. In Iran, the regime has suppressed democracy, staged a sham election, and refused to follow fair reconciliation processes. I don't see that happening in Honduras.
OK, now I've spelled it out for myself, I get it. We can't "meddle" in Iran because they might nuke us down the road, or maybe worse, take the choke chain off Hezbollah. But we can meddle in Latin America because they are really just an adjunct to America anyway. If they get too pushy, we'll just slap them back into the corner.
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