Obama: Honduras Coup "Not Legal"

(AP)  President Barack Obama on Monday declared that the United States still considers Manuel Zelaya to be the president of Honduras and assailed the coup that forced him into exile as "not legal," deepening the chasm between the Central American nation and much of the rest of the world.

"It would be a terrible precedent if we start moving backwards into the era in which we are seeing military coups as a means of political transition rather than democratic elections," Obama said in the Oval Office after meeting with Colombian President Alviro Uribe. "The region has made enormous progress over the last 20 years in establishing democratic traditions in Central America and Latin America. We don't want to go back to a dark past."

Leaders from across the Western Hemisphere and beyond called for return to power of Zelaya, who arrested on Sunday morning by soldiers who stormed his residence and forced him into exile. The country now has another president appointed by its Congress, Roberto Micheletti, who insisted that Zelaya was legally removed by the courts and Congress for violating Honduras' constitution and attempting to extend his own rule.

"We are very clear about the fact that President Zelaya is the democratically elected president," Obama said.

The United States, he said, will work the Organization of American States and other bodies to try to resolve the conflict peacefully.

The OAS was holding an emergency session on the crisis Tuesday.

Mr. Obama also said he is confident that the United States and Colombia ultimately can reach a deal on a stalled trade agreement.

The president said some clear difficulties remain, but a compromise can be worked out that is good for the people of both nations.

He expressed concern about killings of labor leaders in Colombia and about human rights in general there. Mr. Obama also said that Uribe is committed to the rule of law.

Mr. Obama says he has instructed U.S. trade representative Ron Kirk to work with Uribe's team on how to best continue.

[Light_Handed]

How about a real journalistic news story (aka Cronkite) about the facts in Honduras, the legal facts, and the statements by the USA governmental officials.

Where is journalism?

Cronkite stated something like "Journalism is telling the American people what they need to know, not what they think they want to hear."

While I know CBS is not journalist driven in this media/income world, where is the honesty and fact-checking?

[Informed23]

What is so upsetting about this whole situation in Honduras is that many countries that don't even know much about the whole conflict in Honduras are condoning Honduras and refusing to trade with Honduras anymore. Even organizations like OEA and the UN are against the new government of Honduras and now they want to interfere but months ago when Honduras ambassadors and politians asked for help because they had problems with Zelaya, as he was becoming more of a dictator and socialist, they did not pay attention. The reality of the truth here is that Mel Zelaya is trying to make others sympathize him and restore him back in power but unfortunately people do not see him for who he really is. Zelaya is purely a dictator who is only concerned about himself and deserved all this because he is trying to follow into the footsteps of Venezuela's President Chavez and even uses the same expressions and phrases of Chavez. Nobody goes above the law or the constitution in a democratic society, so yes the Supreme Court made a right decision in sending the military to peacefully and safely take Zelaya away and democratically vote on a new president unanimously. People who are against what Honduras did are so blind because they do not see how Zelaya acts against the government and only wanted to change the Constitution because he wants to be reelected. This is how Chavez started and from there, all there is are lies. Officals in Honduras are doing what's right because they are protecting their people so in future years they can have freedom unlike in Venezuela because anyone who goes against Chavez is either killed or imprisoned for life, which people don't seem to realize. So what the world should be doing instead of acting like idiots, is accepting the new government which most Hondurans agree with and help the build a new nation which Zelaya destroyed.

[aranoff]

(AP) President Barack Obama on Monday declared that the United States still considers Manuel Zelaya to be the president of Honduras and assailed the coup that forced him into exile as "not legal,"

"We are very clear about the fact that President Zelaya is the democratically elected president," Obama said.

Obama is a liar! Everyone knows that Zelaya was NOT democratically elected! The Honduras Supreme Court ruled to this effect.

Okay, it is your responsibility to take Obama to the carpet for this terrible lie. If not, I'll fight you to the best of my abilities!

Thanks.

[zyxwvu987654]

Wow, this administration has really come 180 degrees from the expressed policies of previous administrations.

Even a socialist like Bill Clinton would have sided with the constitutional actions of the government in ousting this would-be dictator in his play to ignore the rules and establish his "perpetual power."

At the very least, Clinton would have shut up; no other US president in history would have sided with the commie-dictators. Obama truly seems empathetic with Chavez and Castro and their ilk.

[FannyFS]

I don´t understand waht Obama is doing, is he getting crazy? or communist or Chavez friend.

What kind of President of the United States is these one that not fight against people like Mel,and is asking us to admit a person that violates our Constitution.

[endurorob]

by mrzerato June 29, 2009 8:25 PM PDT
Sounds like he is supporting democracy, too bad you republicans think democracy is socialism.


Supporting democracy? Zelaya was removed legally according to the Hinduras constitution and Obama claims it is illegal. How is that supporting democracy? He is wuick to defend this criminal being kicked out but when the people of Iran appose an obviously rigged election he keeps his mouth shut.

[endurorob]

by stn_sage June 29, 2009 7:50 PM PDT
Mr. Obama is dead wrong on this!

IF the military coup IS the result of the will of the people, that is it's backed by the vast majority of the public, then SO BE IT!

Elections often times are faked and stolen! Take a look! Russia, America,
Mexico, Iran, Nicaragua, and a few other places!

Military coup to get a popular government in place---while not preferred, is better than retaining a corrupt or incompetent one!



The thing is it wasn't a military coup. The military was acting on the legal orders of congress.

[ramos1129]

OK, so it is not legal. Aside from saying so, let's stay out of it. If something more needs to be done, let the OAS do it.

[beanon]

Obama is such a Marxist tool, hoeing the Chavez-Castro line, "coup".

The Honduran military specifically followed the Honduran Supreme Court's and Attorney General's dictates to prevent an overthrow of the Honduran constitution by its rogue president trying to overstay his expiring term through an illegal usurpation of the constitution. From Marcos to Chavez, we see this power grab again and again; good for the Hondurans they reacted constitutionally and decisively. See the 6/30 WSJ article,"Honduars Defends Its Democracy", http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623220955866301.html

[perceptions5]

sivett3000washingtonpost wrote:
I am a housewife. Hondurans do not want Zelaya and Chavez. We do not know why Chavez is so interested in our country. We want democracy and peace. Things are not as Zelaya says. He has been working for his own benefit, God knows what that is. God help us with the bad intentions of Chavez and Zelaya. U.S.A. should be on our side.
================================

Sorry but America is now lead by a Left-Wing government......

Obama was QUICK to condem this action in Honduras BUT was silent for the Freedom seeking people of IRAN when their election was rigged........

The Democrat Party supports Left-ist governments as does our MSM wolfpack press.......

[impeachbhb]

He was silent because Iran is a muslim country. Hussein only apologizes to his muslim brothers.