Honduras' Interim Leader Blames Chavez

Roberto Micheletti Accuses Venezuelan President of Instigating Crisis; Lawmakers Tighten Curfew

(AP)  Honduras' interim leader accused Venezuela's Hugo Chavez of instigating his nation's crisis and lawmakers tightened a curfew aimed at stemming unrest, as coup leaders showed few signs of bending to international pressure to restore the exiled president.

Roberto Micheletti, who was named by Congress to replace President Manuel Zelaya after his ouster, has fought a largely losing battle to win international support for his government. The Organization of American States has given him until Saturday to step aside before Honduras is suspended from the group. The Obama administration halted joint military operations, and France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Chile and Colombia all recalled their ambassadors Wednesday.

The fiercest criticism has come from Chavez, the socialist president of Venezuela who has called for Hondurans to rise up against the "guerilla government" and vowed to do everything possible to overthrow it and restore his leftist ally, Zelaya.

Honduras' interim leader struck back at this foreign critics Wednesday, accusing Chavez of exacerbating Honduras' problems.

"Chavez has had a clear and definite intervention in the situation that Honduras is currently living through," Micheletti told reporters.

On Sunday, the day of the coup, Micheletti suggested Zelaya's support for Chavez, and vice versa, was at the center of the problem. Micheletti said then that Zelaya would be welcome to return to Honduras as a private citizen on one condition: "Without the support of Mr. Hugo Chavez, we would be happy to take him back with open arms."

Honduras' opposition has accused Zelaya of moving sharply to the left since taking office, allying himself with Venezuela and Cuba, accepting oil on preferential terms from Chavez and bringing Honduras into the regional leftist ALBA trade alliance.

Chavez and Zelaya, in turn, have accused right-wing forces in Honduras of toppling him, and Chavez has denounced the allegations that he is stoking the flames in Honduras.

Thousands of Hondurans on both sides of the fight mobilized Wednesday, with a large pro-Zelaya march in the capital and pro-Micheletti demonstrations held in other cities. No violence was reported.

The largest pro-Micheletti rally was in Choluteca, 75 miles south of the capital, where demonstrators wore the blue and white of the Honduran flag.

Seeking to stem internal unrest, Congress approved a bill Wednesday that toughens a nighttime curfew in place since the coup. The law gives authorities the power to conduct warrantless arrests and removes constitutional rights to assembly and movement during the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

Soldiers stormed Zelaya's residence and flew him into exile Sunday after he insisted on trying to hold a referendum asking Hondurans if they want to change the constitution. The Supreme Court, Congress - which is led by Zelaya's own party - and the military all deemed his planned ballot illegal. Zelaya backed down Tuesday, saying he would no longer push for constitutional changes.

Zelaya had said he would try to return home Thursday accompanied by the presidents of Ecuador and Argentina and the heads of the OAS and U.N. General Assembly, but later announced that he was delaying the move until the weekend to give the OAS time to seek a negotiated solution.

The new government was on a long-shot diplomatic offensive, ordering home Honduras' pro-Zelaya ambassadors to the U.S., the United Nations and the OAS.

The U.N. ambassador, Jorge Arturo Reyna, refused, saying he took orders only from Zelaya. But Honduras' ambassador to Washington returned home and said he was recognizing Micheletti's government. "This is not a coup d'etat, but rather a process in which a judicial order has been carried out," envoy Roberto Flores Bermudez said.

The ambassador to the OAS could not be located for comment.

The Obama administration also sided clearly with Zelaya, despite criticism from Republicans that this puts it on the same side as Chavez and the Castros in Cuba. Micheletti told The Associated Press that he has had no contact with any U.S. official since the coup.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said joint U.S.-Honduran military operations were on hold "as we assess that situation." The U.S. has close relations with Honduras' military and has some 800 personnel at an air base north of the Honduran capital used primarily for anti-drug operations.

Many pro-Zelaya protesters said authorities were trying to prevent the ousted leader's supporters from converging on the capital for demonstrations. Natalie O'Hara said her caravan was stopped at five military checkpoints on its way into Tegucigalpa. She said they were let through only because they hid their signs and told soldiers they were for Micheletti.

Protesters lined up outside a Burger King that their comrades had ransacked in previous days because the franchise is owned by Micheletti supporters. Some sat in the frames of smashed windows, moving the bandannas covering their mouths to eat their hamburgers and fries.

There were heavy police and army patrols throughout Honduras' main cities and highways, and some hospitals and schools were closed due to walkouts by pro-Zelaya teachers and health workers. But it was life as usual for most of the capital.

[HonduranOne]

A few points not being reported.
On Saturday June 27, day before the vote, Mel published an official notice that the vote would be BINDING calling for immediate National Assembly to remove the Honduras Constitution.

Ballots were printed outside of Honduras. Conflicting reports of either Cuba or Venezuela printed them. Next US elections have Iran or Iraq print your ballots!

Voters were being paid between $1 up to $27 to give thier ID so a Yes ballot could be counted - Legal??.

The vote boxes already contained yes votes before taken to voting locations. But they didn't have enough Voter ID's to cover the number of votes in the boxes.

Massive spontaneous rallys have been taking place across Honduras in support of the interim government. NO MAS MEL

The only violent demonstrations have been by Mel supporters who are covering their faces, throwing rocks, spray painting walls, breaking windows, intimidating people, attempting to shut down news media both print and tv. These people are 100-200 people in various places, many from Nicaragua and Venezuela who are being detained.

Expats living here in Honduras support the new government and are VERY proud of the people of Honduras!

[gromansky]

President Obama seems to be trying to thread a tiny needle. He can't be wild about the Honduran president trying to set himself up for life, and by all accounts, the Honduran Supreme Court has been calling the plays. I haven't heard Clinton or Obama come right out and use the word coup, but maybe I missed it. If this settles down over the weekend, Chavez will be unhappy but Obama will have side-stepped a radical leftist power play...

[wdh3007]

Zelaya is very foolish to return and Chavez should not meddle in another countries business.

[formrusmcsgt]

The Obama administration also sided clearly with Zelaya, despite criticism from Republicans that this puts it on the same side as Chavez and the Castros in Cuba.
---

Once again the Repubs show all that their ideology is more important than the rule of law in their minds.

Zelaya was not impeached. He was taken prisoner and flown out of the country.

[Ceres6]

Your comments clearly shows what is your side. You seems to be a a Chavez follower, but if you are not, it is evident that some people like to open their mouths before they clearly understand what exactly is going on.

[houshall]

To formrusmcsgt:
What about the rule of law in Honduras? I guess its Ok to let Zelaya to wipe his ass with the Honduran Constitution, huh?

[specialty8]

Another good job by the community organizer. Hoperfully he will only be a one term President. With what he has done so far in his political career and since taking over the Whitehouse, voting "present" does not mean much.

[factsearcher]

Im apalled by the US position on Honduras situation!
Zelaya has demonstrated with actions and more actions his intentions of following Chavez footsteps into converting Honduras in a dictatorial regime.
Bravo to the honduran military bravery and clean destitution of mad man!
I voted for Obama and Im telling you..
I dont like his position on this one a bit!

[formrusmcsgt]

Because you have no problem with coup d'etat's, obviously.

I am proud that the administration is on the side of the rule of law.

[Ceres6]

I voted for him too, and the same as you, I dislike tremendously his weak position so far in this matter.

[Ceres6]

The Honduran President, Roberto Micheletti, is absolutely right, Mr. Chavez is responsible for all this mess. If Mr. Zelaya returns to power in Honduras, you can be 100% sure that he will follow every step indicated by Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan tyrant. Using fraud, deception, and brute force, Mr. Zelaya will impose his perpetual reelection upon the Honduran people, and he will become another dictator in Central America. Most politicians are talking now about the rights of Mr. Zelaya, however, what about the Honduran Constitution, that he was shamelessly violating. What Mr. Zelaya was doing in Honduras is a lot worse than what Mr. Nixon did during the Watergate affair.

If Mr. Obama helps Mr. Zelaya to return to power, then he will be giving the green light for another dictatorship in Latin America, and certainly, Mr. Obama will receive the blessings of Mr. Chavez and Mr. Correa, the two most dangerous presidents in South America. Both politicians have a sick hatred against the United States. Anyone can go to Youtube and hear several vulgar speeches given by Mr. Chavez just a year ago, in which he repeatedly screamed that American people are human excrement. In the same way, the president of Ecuador, Mr. Rafael Correa, also has a deep loathing of the American people, because his father spent 5 years in a U.S. prison for trafficking drugs.

We must be aware that not only the fate of the Honduran people is at stake here, but the freedom and the future of tens of millions of Latin Americans in several countries. And you can be sure that millions of American people, who have been seriously affected by the authoritarian measures already taken by the Latin Idi Amin of Mr. Chavez, will remember in the next U.S. elections. I will be one of them.

I was not a fan of former president Mr. Bush, but it seems that in this matter, Mr. Obama and Ms. Hillary Clinton need to learn from Mr. Bush. It is an irony that a few days ago, Mr. Obama, without hesitation, said to The Colombian President, Mr. Alvaro Uribe, that 8 years was enough to be president of his nation, because Mr. Uribe has been president for 7 years, and he may want to be reelected again. But what happened a few weeks ago. Mr. Obama had an encounter with Mr. Chavez. Although Mr. Chavez has been already president for 11 years, the only thing Mr. Obama told Chavez was to promise to the South American despot that he was not going to interfere in the Venezuelan affairs! Many people are feeling down and perplexed after witnessing the actions of Mr. Obama. At this pace, instead of being known as the Colossus of the North, the United States will gain the title of the Pussycat of the North.

[ttinsly]

PS. If the School of the America's (renamed WHINSEC due to it's bad reputation) is involved in anything, it isn't good. And certainly the fact that an elected president called for a plebiscite on allowing more than one term; and some other proposed reforms is not grounds for a coup. Certainly, you would at least allow the vote; and then perhaps look at some legalities before implementing it. But this wasn't done; because all of the details you mention are pretexts not real reasons.

The day military aid is cut for this government is when it will be proved that the US did not/does not support this coup. I don't think we can blame this on Chavez. Just because Chavez has relations with this man does not mean that their gov. has the right to be brought down by force. Oh but you forget that we have been involved in coups in Honduras before, and against Chavez too most likely (has not been admitted, but Bush meeting all of the coup leaders previous to the fact; and then immediately recognizing the new "gov." was a good sign).

So, we are hardly in a respectable position to speak about democracy to Chavez, or to Cuba, or anyone for that matter (remember that because our gov. supported/ordered the coup against Cuba's democracy and helped put in the Dictator Batista, the resistance that followed (led by Castro) became allied with the Soviet Union and extremized.

If we push too much against the inevitable, it will only be a matter of time before nations start allying themselves with other powers. You guys should focus on a plan on how to come up with some kind of a compromise position.

[ttinsly]

"The coup was apparently led by Romeo Vasquez, a graduate of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA), a military/torture school located at Fort Benning, Georgia." That's right. Yet another coup leader supported by the US from the school that has graduated the most dictators in history (all in Latin America); and which has taught them how to torture.

This "evil" leftist has increased the minimum wage of workers there and provided a snack for poor children at schools. Don't you guys see we're all in this together. The multinationals if they have their way will do here what they are doing there. And if we do not change our ways from empire, then if our right wing leadership, I mean the REAL LEADERSHIP here not the Hollywood Actor frontmen, then we are going to be a lonely nation in need very soon. People do not like oppressors. And why do you want this country to become a horrible 1984 like creation anyway?

[woody2676]

If Hugo Chavez is involved in ANYTHING, it is not a good thing.

[bajajohn1]

Read Tinsley below. Honduras is like Venezuela, a very poor country governed by a wealthy few. Venezuela went left because of the poverty and because multi-nationals were exporting the wealth of its natural resources. The poor got nothing or very little. All the money went to the lucky rich. Now, I do not support violent leftist regimes anymore than I would support a violent right-wing regime. Greed seems to be the underlying cause of most of the economic anguish in the world at this point. Perhaps, the more moderate voices will be heard for a change.