Honduras - US Ignores Convenient Coup
Monday, 09 November 2009
Some of us gullible liberals had the audacity to hope that the election of Barack Obama might signal a new start for democracy in South America. That slim hope is fading rapidly. While US authorities continue to snipe against democratically elected leaders like Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and Evo Morales in Bolivia, they seem to be a bit more reluctant to speak out or take decisive action against the leader of a military coup which ousted the Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. We think we might know why.....
DEMOCRACY OVERTHROWN
President Zelaya had been in office since 2006 and, this summer, was proposing constitutional change which was unpopular with the opposition. The polls were due to open on 28 June but, before voting could begin, troops stormed the presidential palace, detained Mr. Zelaya at gunpoint and then flew him to Costa Rica. The leader of the coup was the Speaker of Congress Roberto Micheletti who took over power saying that he would serve until 27 January 2010, when President Zelaya’s term ends. Zelaya described the plot as being orchestrated by “a very voracious elite, an elite which wants only to keep this country isolated, in an extreme level of poverty.”
The following day, President Obama described the coup as illegal, saying that a “terrible precedent” would be set if the coup wasn’t reversed. Sadly, he hasn’t backed up his strong words with strong actions. Honduras depends on the US for the vast majority of its export business (including coffee) and the threat of economic sanctions could have forced the illegal regime to back down. No such action was even mentioned, let alone imposed. Instead the US cut aid to the country, a move which has had little or no impact.
A CONVENIENT COUP
Can you imagine the same pathetic US response if a left wing coup had deposed an elected right wing leader whose policies were in sympathy with the world’s most powerful and greediest nation? No. So, it’s pretty clear that the US isn’t really that bothered about this violation of democracy because, yet again, it was the wrong sort of democracy. The coup just happens to suit North America’s continuing quest for domination of the continent at all costs.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been mouthing weasel words while not lifting a finger to restore democracy. She said, “it’s imperative that dialogue begin...[that] there be a channel of communication between President Zelaya and the de facto regime in Honduras.” Behind the scenes, however, she is being lobbied very successfully by powerful friends who don’t want a left wing President back in power – despite the will of the Honduran people. Hence the lack of action.
ROBBING THE POOR TO GIVE TO THE RICH
Since Micheletti has been in power, a state of emergency has been declared, key civil liberties have been suspended and the opposition media closed down. More than a dozen progressive opposition members of Congress have been banned from attending parliamentary sessions. Coup leaders have started to repeal progressive legislation and have given the green light to water privatisation and the sale of indigenous people’s lands to multinationals. Open pit mining, opposed by Zelaya, will meet a lot less opposition from corporate friendly Micheletti. When it comes to good old capitalist values, it’s profit before people (and planet) every time.
A couple of weeks ago, I heard Katherine Ronderos of the Central America Women’s Network give an eye witness report of what is happening inside Honduras. She points out that Zelaya is, “no revolutionary, no Chávez, merely a mild reformist figure” but he has made enemies among the rich and powerful in his country because he wants to help the poor. He has passed legislation to double the minimum wage, and to make education and school meals free. Ronderos adds that under Zelaya’s government “women’s rights had been given a prominent position on the agenda. Women had begun to gain new rights and input to a new draft constitution.”
A GUEST IN THE BRAZILIAN EMBASSY
Having made his way back into the country without detection, over mountains and across rivers, President Zelaya has been in the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpas since 21 September. On arrival he addressed his supporters from a balcony before Micheletti’s regime imposed a 15-hour curfew. The coup leaders are demanding that the Brazilians release him to faces charges of treason (!?) or grant him asylum and get him out of Honduras. His return was tutted at by the US government and other international power brokers but has greatly encouraged his supporters who have had their president illegally deposed and their rights trampled on. His presence gives them hope of a better, more democratic day to come.
ANOTHER DODGY US DEAL
So what could the world’s only remaining superpower do when there’s been an illegal coup in a small nation in its own backyard? Well, as mentioned, it could force the reinstatement of the democratically elected leader using powerful economic sanctions as a peaceful means of persuasion. That would certainly make a refreshing change for US policy in Central and South America – supporting democracy by peaceful means rather than undermining it by arming paramilitary death squads!
Instead the US has been busy trying to broker a deal for a “unity government” with the rightful leader having to share power with the coup leader – how’s that for hardcore democracy!? A reluctant Zelaya and Micheletti agreed to a deal with a deadline of midnight on 5 November for implementation. Zelaya, not unreasonably, has pointed out that the agreement was supposed to “return the holder of executive power to its pre-June 28 state” and said he would withdraw from the agreement unless Congress held a vote on his restoration to power.
SHAME ON THE MAN OF HOPE
Thus the dodgy deal collapsed and now the coup leaders are holding out for elections on 29 November. Zelaya, having been elected once already isn’t allowed to stand and the atmosphere in Honduras isn’t really conducive to free and fair elections. The US government, however, won’t allow minor details like that to stand in the way of the inevitable election of a friendly, conservative and pro-US candidate. Although European and Latin American governments have said that they would not recognise the impending elections, Obama’s administration will recognise the elections regardless.
So in addition to propping up an undemocratic and corrupt regime in Afghanistan, the US is clearly showing by its inaction in Honduras that, unless it benefits the US, it has no regard for democracy or for the poor. Obama, Clinton et al, go hang your heads in shame. Especially you, Obama. You gave the whole world a sniff of hope and now you’re snatching it away. At least Dubya talked like a redneck and acted like a redneck so there was no false hope and no confusion.
LINKS
Central America Women’s Network
Latin American Press – Interview with Leader of Coup Opposition
LINKS TO RELATED ARTICLES ON TAKE THE RED PILL
Bolivia – The Wrong Sort of Democracy
