The Honduran Coup: Planned Months in Advance

(Via World War 4 Report at Daily Kos)

We have consistently heard from interests related to the Honduran oligarchy/mafiacracy that President Zelaya was removed because he plotted to having himself re-elected, thereby violating a provision in the Honduran Constitution that not only forbids self-succession but even discussion of the issue. The first step in this alleged plot was the holding of a poll-by-ballot (a sondeo) of whether to hold a referendum in November, coincident with the presidential election, on the issue of a holding a constitutional convention. Zelaya was removed by military troops wielding heavy weapons and replaced by Roberto Micheletti.

Now, there are so many red flags that should trigger the bulls–t meter of any sentient human being that it may be an insult to our readers’ intelligence to point them out (see footnote). But setting those aside, what if there were evidence that the coup plan began even before Zelaya suggested a referendum? Wouldn’t that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the referendum was simply cover for the coup?

This is precisely what Grahame Russell of Rights Action (formerly Guatemala Partners) says is the case:

Shortly, we will distribute a copy of a legal case filed in the Honduran courts by CODEH (Honduran committee for the defense of human rights). Their case, filed before the Honduran Special Prosecutor Against Organized Crime, refers to legal cases filed in Honduran courts months ago, alleging the planning of a military coup. None of these previous legal cases were dealt with by the courts that are almost completely controlled by pro-coup sectors. To understand the “legal” situation in Honduras, one has to acknowledge that the administration of justice and the rule of law are deeply corrupted….

Red Flags that should make any sentient human being pause before swallowing the claim that the coup was triggered by Zelaya’s behavior
Russell mentions four
1. “The Honduran Armed Forces (HAF) have no authority whatsoever – none, ever – to carry out detention orders of the Supreme Court…”
2. They broke in violently (also illegal) at around 5am, whereas Honduran law states that authorized entries (which this was not) can only occurring after 6am….
3. If there were a valid legal case before the Supreme Court (there is not, or if there is, no one has seen it…they would have issued a summons to President Zelaya to present himself, with lawyers, before the court to hear the charges….
4. Soon after the coup transpired, the pro-coup forces produced a letter of resignation…The letter is a forgery

and there are more:
5. If there was a legal case against Zelaya, why not try him?
6. If there was a legal case against Zelaya, why prevent him from returning, so that he could be arrested properly and tried?
7. What evidence is there, apart from the assertions of the coup plotters, that the referendum had anything to do with re-electing Zelaya?
8. How could Zelaya have possibly been engineering his re-election if the referendum on whether to hold a constitutional convention was at the same time as the re-election?
9. Even assuming that Zelaya was somehow plotting to enable himself to run for a second term, perhaps in 2014, how can he be held responsible for suggesting changing the constitution when that suggestion would have to come from the delegates to the constitutional convention?
10. If the coup plotters were so offended by Zelaya’s alleged trampling of the constitution, why did they trample the constitution by violating the article that forbids the use of military arms to take control of government?
11. If the proposal to amend the constitution to permit re-election is such a terrible violation, why wasn’t Micheletti– who did exactly that a couple of decades ago– tried for treason?
12. Why has no country on earth (not even Uzbekhistan or North Korea!)recognized the coup?
13. Why have the top Honduran military lawyer and a former Defense Minister conceded that the coup was illegal?

I’m sure that other red flags will become apparent with time. But before one more word is said, let us pay attention– genuinely pay attention– to Grahame Russell’s evidence that the coup was planned before Zelaya’s alleged crime was committed.

In other news, VTV has left Honduras.