Honduras Coup, Act III, Day 42/Update2

Update2: El Libertador is reporting that they have proof that the persons who took 50,950,000 lempiras (about $2.5M) from the Central Bank were from the pretend government. The Secretary of Security of the pretend-government Jorge Rodas Gamero and Santos Enamorado, as well as Gladis Margarita Sánchez, Carlos Mejía y Otoniel Gross Castillo took out 40 million lempiras on June 24th. Using a check from the General Treasury, another 10 million was taken. The embezzlement was not performed, as was alleged by El Heraldo a member of the Zelaya government.

(Image from Chiapas Indymedia)

One can see footage of the aftermath of the attack on Radio Globo here. There’s nothing spectacular, but one can see the journalists that one only hears on the radio.

Brother John has a nice piece on the achievements of Caritas:

It was refreshing to hear these people, some of whom I’d already met, most of who have six years of formal education or less. They have begun to do what’s really needed for a democratic and just Honduras – to organize, to take responsibility for their lives and for their communities, to live as signs of the Reign of God, a reign of “justice, love, and peace.”

_____________________________
Update: LOTS of news today. According to Tiempo, General Douglas Fraser admitted on Wednesday that the plane with Zelaya on board did land at Palmerola. But, the General says, “it is a Honduran base, it doesn’t belong to the US. There are US personal but they had no participation in or knowledge of the arrival and subsequent departure of the airplane.” Fraser expressed his wish that there be a peaceful solution to the crisis and said that “The US ambassador (Hugo Llorens), on the same day suspended all aid and communication with Honduran authorities arising from the coup d’etat.” The latter, of course, is false.

(Image from Spanish Free News)

Radio Globo was discussing the non-payment of salaries to workers by the coupistas. Channel 36 isn’t coming up. Radio Progreso has NotiNada, the news from the country where nothing is happening. Much later, an interview of a woman, Sara, a protestor in front of the US embassy, 45 visas had been canceled and nine more. The interviewee says that Obama is weakened and surrounded by enemies. She says they’re glad about the sanctions, but they want Zelaya there N-O-W. Now, a man, Franky, on the phone: the US is using dilatory methods to arrange for Zelaya to arrive at the last moment to bless the elections. The US hasn’t declared this to be a military coup. If they did they would have to cut much more aid. They haven’t frozen the coupistas bank accounts. Zelaya: If they install Pepe Lobos or someone similar, who is going to investigate the sacking of the public coffers (and the other deeds of the coup). Franky: The “Accord of San Jose” gravely weakens the president (Zelaya). The US wants to return him, but too late to guarantee that the elections are really free. The Frente and the artists will be doing a press round with Dario Euraque, just dismissed from his post by the pretend-government, on the cultural effects of the coup. On to NotiNada: They call Zelaya Companero Vaquero (something like Our Buddy the Cowboy). The coupistas ban certain words and redefine others. [For example] Rape comes from the Greek meaning… action permitted for human rights. Calm down and obey!… And if you don’t like it, a spank on the butt! (It goes on like this) Channel 36 is talking about the 1980s and the torture. They are clear that the US wants to use Zelaya to legitimize the coup. The victims of today are different, but the torturers are the same. A Mr. Lopez is now on: one of the “Christian” channels (Channel 57? owned by Pastor Evilio Reyes of “Abundant Life Church”, if I caught it correctly) produced a video clip which is being used by the coupistas. Demonstrators wrote “Coupista. Satanic palace. 666. Evileo the Pharisee” on the church.

The central unions and magisterial universities are on strike.

The State Department is apparently delaying the release of a transcript of PJ Crowley answering questions at press rounds. TeleSur reports on the session, which is not as of this moment posted. State is considering a broad range of aid suspension. Crowley says that the decision is due to the refusal of the government to accept the “San Jose Accord.” He said that the legislative and judicial powers participated as much as the military. He said that they would not recognize the presidential elections because they would need to be “achieved in a free, just, and transparent manner.” and not “under the shadow of doubt… they should be open to all Hondurans.” The Honduran pretend government called these steps “not very friendly” and said that the US was serving Hugo Chavez.

Central American businessmen lament the aid cutoff. General Romeo Vasquez singled out a Radio Globo journalist David Romero and Xenia Flores for “defamation, calumny, injury, and sedition.” Romero supposedly said that he knew that the high command was behind the attack on Channel 36 and Radio Globo, and Xenia Flores The accusation is so overblown that would be funny if it didn’t mean their lives were in danger.

___________________________________________________________________________
Please forgive my crude metaphor. Hillary arises from her porcelain throne, leaving a floater. Statement by Ian Kelly:

The Department of State announces the termination of a broad range of assistance to the government of Honduras as a result of the coup d’etat that took place on June 28. The Secretary already had suspended assistance shortly after the coup.

The Secretary of State has made the decision, consistent with U.S. legislation, recognizing the need for strong measures in light of the continued resistance to the adoption of the San Jose Accord by the de facto regime and continuing failure to restore democratic, constitutional rule to Honduras.

The Department of State recognizes the complicated nature of the actions which led to June 28 coup d’etat in which Honduras’ democratically elected leader, President Zelaya, was removed from office. These events involve complex factual and legal questions and the participation of both the legislative and judicial branches of government as well as the military.

Restoration of the terminated assistance will be predicated upon a return to democratic, constitutional governance in Honduras.

The Department of State further announces that we have identified individual members and supporters of the de facto regime whose visas are in the process of being revoked.

A presidential election is currently scheduled for November. That election must be undertaken in a free, fair and transparent manner. It must also be free of taint and open to all Hondurans to exercise their democratic franchise. At this moment, we would not be able to support the outcome of the scheduled elections. A positive conclusion of the Arias process would provide a sound basis for legitimate elections to proceed. We strongly urge all parties to the San Jose talks to move expeditiously to agreement.

(emphasis added)

In other words, put enough lipstick on the pig, and we’ll kiss it: we won’t absolutely refuse to refuse to recognize the, eh, winner of the election, assuming it looks like a free and fair election.

Gabriela Nuñez, pretend-Minister of Finance, says that US aid suspension amounts to $28M mostly dedicated to construction (i.e., Liberal Party candidate Elvin Santos). $135M in Millenium Challenge funds are frozen. But the NYTimes says that these funds will be discussed by the Millenium Challenge Corp. later this week (via RAJ). Yet one more permutation is found in a CEPR release (via commenter Jake at RAJ’s site):

State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CEPR that total U.S. assistance to Honduras was $100 million and today’s decision affected $30 million: this included $8.96 million from the State Department, $9.4 million from USAID, and $11 million from the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) (which will not be officially cancelled until its Board meets next week).

“There is still quite a bit of money that is not food assistance or anything that poor people need that continues to flow to the dictatorship,” said Weisbrot.

“Also, the State Department still hasn’t officially determined that a military coup took place in Honduras,” he added.

Weisbrot also noted that the International Monetary Fund decided just a few days ago to give Honduras more than $160 million. Since the United States has a veto over IMF decisions, this will be seen by the coup regime as a decision of the U.S. government.

(emphasis added)

Make that two floaters. However, RAJ is less cynical than I, saying:

As an aside, note that CEPR is still interpreting the IMF funding allocation as available to or made to the de facto regime; while IMF has not made a statement on this, it continues to recognize the Zelaya government officials and as their signatures would be necessary to access funds, CEPR analysis of this as support for the regime should be tempered.

One interesting angle is how far has Zelaya gone in criticism of the USG. El Libertador printed a letter harshly critical of the Obama Administration, ascribed to Zelaya’s cabinet, but it didn’t vouch for its provenance. Now Ginger Thompson of the NYT has printed this:

Mr. Zelaya said Wednesday, after a speech at George Washington University, that he appreciated the numerous statements President Obama had made in his defense since June 28….

Yet without tougher actions, he said, Mr. Obama’s statements had begun to ring hollow, hardening the intransigence of those who deposed him, and signaling to Latin America that the United States put politics above democratic principles.

“He’s risking his prestige in Latin America,” Mr. Zelaya said. “We are not asking him to intervene. We are asking him to be consistent with democratic principles. And if he does that, Latin America will applaud.”

Another very telling quote is from Council on Foreign Relations member Julia E. Schweig: “If they can’t get the cast of characters in Honduras to behave the way they want them to… how are they going to deal with Afghanistan or Iran?”

Via RAJ, another important dissident voice, this of Congressman Howard Berman in the LA Times:

This one [the coup] looks, walks and quacks like a duck [a military coup]. It’s time to stop hedging and call this bird what it is. And if, for whatever reason, the State Department lawyers do not conclude that this was a coup, Congress should examine other ways by which it can directly affect the flow of aid.

Cutting off assistance is a blunt instrument, one that should not be wielded lightly. It can affect livelihoods and families and industries, in addition to targeting those at the top. But Honduras will hold presidential and parliamentary elections Nov. 29, and every passing day gives Micheletti and his associates the chance to tighten their illegitimate hold on the reins of power.

Jose Miguel Insulza, at least, is trying to nail one barn door shut: He says that the elections are being called in an atmosphere inadequate for having democratic elections.” He announced that the OAS would not recognize the election.

Advertisement