The OAS mission came Wednesday and left again Thursday. Its achievement was to make a delegation representing Micheletti meet with a delegation representing Zelaya, and to assure that the two delegations agreed on an agenda for a dialogue. Before leaving, the mission issued a statement publishing the agenda and calling on appropriate conditions for the dialogue to be provided for:
Statement of the OAS delegation in Honduras
The dialogue went on Friday and some hours on Saturday – then it was suspended until Tuesday. The ‘appropriate conditions’ have not been provided for, hence, the decree which revoked the decree suspending basic civil liberties has not been published yet – which means that the constitutional rights are still suspended.
More talks in Honduran crisis, but no deal sighted
The two delegations are still discussing the first issue of the agenda – the signing of the Arias plan. They have reached agreement of some points – the creation of a joint cabinet and that no one will be granted amnesty of any kind. The joint cabinet is, however, dependent on whether or not Zelaya is restored in office – the crucial point of the Arias plan which is to be discussed on Tuesday.
Coup amnesty off the table as Honduras talks pause
Even while the decree suspending civil liberties has not been officially revoked yet, Micheletti has issued other two decrees. One stating that media which are considered to be a threat to national security may be closed or have their license canceled (this is like a renewal of part of the ‘old’ decree), and another one ordering public schools closed and handed over to the army by the end of October (allegedly to prepare the elections…). Students will not have to do the general exam; they will be promoted automatically to the next grade. Teachers are to consider November a month of vacations – without salary.
Speculations continue on whether or not the coup-backers are reconsidering – and about the role of the USA:
Where is Honduras Headed?
Wrong Advice
At the same time, however, Micheletti – and the armed forces – are firm in their actions. Ignoring the call from the OAS and the UN to ‘take it easy’ on the population and the Brazilian embassy, the repression continued after the OAS mission left. Thursday night, snipers were placed on a platform in front of the Brazilian embassy, constantly threatening to shoot:
Honduran soldiers erect platform to intimidate Brazilian embassy
The same evening a statement from the UN raised concern about the presence of mercenaries in Honduras. Rumors about ex-members of paramilitary Colombian groups have been mentioned several times over the last months, but it seems that they should be taken seriously now:
UN human rights experts raise concern over growing use of foreign mercenaries in Honduras
International solidarity continues at all levels – here is an open letter from the President of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) send to the EU today:
The FIDH urges the European Union to maintain a forceful position on the coup d’état in Honduras and to reject the electoral process in view of persistent human rights violations
During last week the following poll about the political situation in Honduras was published. Among other things, it places Manuel Zelaya as the most popular person in Honduras (followed by his wife, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya) – and Micheletti as the least popular person.
Poll: Wide Majority of Hondurans Oppose Coup d’Etat, Want Zelaya Back
October 12th, 2009
Today – day 100 since the coup – marks the beginning of what is thought to be the most decisive week since the coup. An OAS delegation is expected to arrive on Wednesday with the purpose of promoting a dialogue and restore democracy in Honduras. The delegation will be headed by General Secretary José Miguel Insulza and include representatives from Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Canada, Jamaica, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Brazil. Furthermore the delegation will include the Spanish Secretary of State for Ibero-America and a representative from the UN Secretary General:
OAS mission will arrive in Honduras this Wednesday, October 7
As the delegation arrives the civil liberties will be restored in Honduras – today Micheletti decided to revoke the decree issued Sunday 27th of September, which were to limit fundamental rights during 45 days:
Honduras Government Revokes Rights-Limiting Decree
The consequences of the decree together with the world’s economic sanctions on Honduras seem to be softening up some of the key-persons behind the coup. Hence, last week some businessmen and politicians met with the American ambassador in Tegucigalpa, Hugo Llorens, and an OAS diplomat, John Biel, who arrived to prepare the OAS delegation’s visit, to discuss the situation and even propose alternative solutions to the crisis:
A crack appears in Honduras’ deadlock
At the same time, Micheletti is receiving moral support from republican members of the US Congress. Last Friday he was visited by a group of Congress-members, who assured him, that they would talk to the US President to make him change his mind about the economic sanctions. This could be a result of the work of a PR shop, which the Micheletti government hired little more than two weeks ago to do advocacy in Washington:
Honduran government hires PR shop
A group of democrat Congress-members where however quick to react on the news of the republicans’ visit and send immediately this open letter to the Honduran Congress:
An Open Letter to the Congress of Honduras
Last week was obviously marked by more repression than usually, due to the non-existence of civil liberties:
Dozens of Zelaya supporters held
Honduran Security Forces Accused of Abuse
In spite of the repression, the Resistance continues, and Radio Globo has found alternative ways of broadcasting via the internet:
http://www.radioglobohonduras.com or http://www.libreexpresion.tk
International solidarity is still strong – see pictures from a solidarity demonstration in El Salvador here
I would also like to share this documentary – it’s a bit slow to download, but worth it:
“Nothing happening” in Honduras
October 5th, 2009
September 29th, 2009
It has been a tense week, and today – three months after the coup – we seem farer away from a peaceful solution than ever. After the first 42 hour curfew imposed last Monday afternoon, curfews during the nights have been ordered every day. The Resistance has been on the streets every day – even during the curfews. Some 10 people have died due to tear- and pepper gases, beatings or gunfire. An unknown number of people have been injured and hundreds detained. Hospitals have run out of medicine. People from all over the country have tried to reach Tegucigalpa to join the president but they have been held back and forced to return to their homes. Particularly in Tegucigalpa no one is safe even in their own houses. During the weekend the Resistance’s food-, water- and medicine supply was confiscated by the police. The situation has turned form bad into intolerable:
Honduran Crisis Explodes: Persecution and Panic Buying Under Coup Crackdown
Yesterday (Sunday) the coup-government issued a decree which for 45 days limits some fundamental rights (freedom of speech and association, and the right not to be detained without notice). The purpose of the decree was first of all to shut down the anti-coup media – this was done early this morning – and secondly to hinder the daily anti-coup demonstrations:
Soldiers raid Honduran media outlets
Read the decree in Spanish here.
The decree was issued by the government and published immediately in the official newspaper. Today Congress was to discuss it, and it decided to ask Micheletti to cancel it ‘because it was considered an obstacle for the electoral campaigns’. He agreed to reconsider it this week. But the damage has already been done – the most important ways for the Resistance to communicate (Radio Globo and Canal 36 ‘Cholusat Sur’) have been blocked, and their equipment taken away:
Coup-Installed Honduras Leader to Return Liberties
The Human Rights situation is in other words alarming. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has condemned the coup-leaders’ repression, and so has the United Nations and several countries around the world. The USA, whose secretary of state last week considered Zelaya’s return an opportunity to reach a peaceful solution, once again brings contradictory statements. Today at the second extraordinary session of the OAS’ Permanent Council celebrated after the return of Zelaya, the US representative to the OAS, Lew Amselem, stated that the return of Zelaya was “irresponsible and foolish”.
Spoiling Manuel Zelaya’s homecoming
USA: Statement on Honduras
IACHR condemns excessive use of force in repression of protests in Honduras
While Honduras has been on the agenda of the OAS, the UN Assembly and the UN Security Council, Zelaya has been practically locked up in the embassy of Brazil in Tegucigalpa. After the thousands of people who had come to welcome their president had been forced away early Tuesday morning, the embassy and surroundings have been completely militarized. Power, water and telephone connection have been cut, food delivery has been impeded and the army has used modern technology weapons to harass Zelaya and the people with him, such as toxic gases which provoke bleedings from the nose, vomits and headaches, and some instrument which sends out insupportable sounds that provoke disturbance of the sense of balance.
The harassment of the Brazilian embassy led that nation to ask for an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council. The meeting took place on Friday, and the Council called for the coup-government to ‘respect international law through preserving the inviolability of the Embassy’:
Security of Brazilian Embassy in Honduras must be ensured – Security Council
The OAS decided to once again give the Arias negotiations a try, stating that an OAS delegation headed by Insulza would travel to Honduras shortly. Insulza did intend to travel to Honduras already on Tuesday, but the coup-government closed the airports and impeded his arrival. On Wednesday the airports were reopened for national flights, and since Friday some international flights have been operating. On Sunday four OAS representatives made it to the airport in Tegucigalpa but were immediately deported:
OAS secretary general condemns Honduran authorities’ decision to forbid entrance of OAS high officials into the country
The same day, Micheletti gave Brazil a 10 day’s time limit to hand over Zelaya to the coup-government for his prosecution. Lula da Silva answered that he did not take orders from a coup-government. A UN official stressed what the Security Council had stated Friday – the inviolability of the embassy:
Action against Brazilian embassy in Honduras would be disaster – top UN official
The situation has become unbearable. Many people say that an armed confrontation is coming up – people have had enough and are tired of international statements and declarations which Micheletti doesn’t seem to listen to anyway. Before Radio Globo was shut down, people were calling in urging the international community to do something – to act instead of talk. It was hard to listen to their feeling of impotence… The Resistance has been peaceful until now – day 93.
September 29th, 2009
Last week, Spain stated that they would follow the example of the USA by restricting the entrance of a number of members of the de facto government to their country, and the European Union issued a statement to support once again the Arias mediation and threaten with further restrictions on the de facto government:
Council conclusions on Honduras
The EU statement was given on the 15th of September – Honduras’ Independence Day – which was celebrated in two different ways around the country. The de facto government ‘invited’ the people in public offices to join the traditional marches which were celebrated with vast military presence. The ‘invitation’ stated that participation was obligatory. At the same time the Resistance gathered thousands of people throughout the country in one of the biggest demonstrations since the 5th of July:
September 15 – Central American Independence Day; Neocolonialism Meets Resistance in Honduras
Zelaya is back in Honduras
Last week’s news, however, grew old while writing them today. This morning rumors came out that president Zelaya should have returned to Honduras. And a few hours later it was confirmed that he actually was staying in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa together with his family:
Ousted Zelaya returns to Honduras
Ousted president Manuel Zelaya says he will challenge the coup leaders who bundled him into exile three months ago
Honduras curfew as Zelaya returns
The OAS’ Permanent Council met in an extraordinary session already this afternoon to discuss what to do and issued the following statement, supporting the return of Zelaya:
OAS requests immediate signing of the San José agreement and supports the secretary general’s initiatives to facilitate dialogue in Honduras
General Secretary Insulza is consequently to travel to Honduras tomorrow 22nd of September in a new effort to negotiate a solution. The fact that the how to return Zelaya to Honduras is no longer an issue seems to have strengthened the will of the OAS to reach an agreement now.
Clinton, Arias: Zelaya return could help Honduras
Micheletti first denied that Zelaya be back in Honduras, and when it became too obvious that he was, Micheletti kept on with his usual talk about how peaceful Honduras is and that the presence of Zelaya did not change anything. But then, it seems, Micheletti got nervous. He ordered a national curfew – first between 4.00 pm today and 7.00 am tomorrow; later it was extended till 6.00 pm tomorrow:
Interim Honduran government extends curfew to 26 hours, shuts down airport
Ironically this measure seems to be turning against him. People have had enough of curfews, and those who have been indecisive of whether or not to support the coup, have got an extra argument against Micheletti. Right now, reports about arbitrary detentions are coming in, anti-coup and international media are being harassed with detentions of journalists and power cuts, and cell phones work only occasionally. At the same time many people are encouraging each other not to obey the curfew.
There is no doubt – what happens the next days will be decisive for the solution (or not) of the political crisis in Honduras; hence, the international media’s attention is tuned in on Honduras again. It is hard to imagine that Micheletti should accept to resign; recently he said that only an invasion could take him out of power. For now he seems to be obstructing the ‘invasion’ of another OAS delegation headed by Insulza…
September 21st, 2009
September 14th, 2009
This week both diplomatic and tourist visas to the USA were withdrawn from Micheletti, chief of the army Vasquez Velasquez, and all the members of the Supreme Court, among others:
US denies Honduras’ Micheletti visa
Two and a half months before the elections the international community is apparently becoming aware of the importance of taking a standpoint on whether or not to recognize the elections and their outcome in Honduras. The United Nations is to discuss the issue at the session of the General Assembly starting Tuesday 15th of September. Furthermore, Zelaya is invited to speak at the session:
UN to cut off aid to Honduran elections
Zelaya to Address UN General Assembly
The Resistance in Honduras is getting better organized – last Sunday they met at an assembly to discuss among other things their position on the elections. People are still divided in this theme; some think that a complete boycott is the only viable solution, others that they should support the UD and Carlos Reyes. Carlos Reyes and UD’s presidential candidate, Cesar Ham, are both boycotting the elections, however.
Honduras: resistance against the coup grows and calls for boycott of elections
Since the installation of a human rights observatory in Honduras, the army and the police have become more cautious about intervening in the demonstrations. Repression is, however, still a part of everyday life, as pro-resistance media are being harassed, and political leaders are being threatened and arrested. Hence, a couple of days ago, a congress member candidate for the UD in Ceiba was arrested and is still in prison without trial.
September 14th, 2009
On Thursday Manuel Zelaya met with Hillary Clinton in Washington to discuss possible new measures for USA to take against the de facto government in Honduras. The outcome of the meeting consists of three different things: 1) termination of aid channeled through the de facto government (the same amount of aid, which had already been suspended), 2) withdrawal of some coup supporter’s visas, and 3) a statement that at the moment the USA will not support the outcome of the elections scheduled for November.
Termination of Assistance and Other Measures Affecting the De Facto Regime in Honduras
Senior Administration Officials on Honduras
It was expected that maybe Clinton would formally declare the coup a military coup and thus set in motion more economic sanctions, but the only news after the meeting is, that USA will not recognize a government elected under the present circumstances. With this decision the USA is following recommendations from the Resistance in Honduras and the example of several Latin American countries.
U.S. must get tough to help restore democratic order in Honduras
Ousted Honduran Leader Seeks Tougher U.S. Stance Against Coup
U.S. Suspends $30 Million to Honduras
On Tuesday Zelaya participated in a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS. After the meeting Zelaya said that he felt unanimous support for his reinstatement as president and that the OAS would not support elections under the de facto government. However, no official statement from the OAS condemns the elections yet.
Zelaya: Honduras election ‘a fraud’
Statement of the OAS secretary general after meeting with the permanent council and president Zelaya
Micheletti continues to stand firm on his idea that no matter what Zelaya is not coming back as president. Last week he sent some alternative proposals of how to resolve the crisis in Honduras to Arias, who refused to show them to Zelaya, as he considered them not viable. Micheletti got even more stubborn and repeated what he has said before – that Honduras doesn’t care whether or not the international community recognizes the elections. Honduras doesn’t need the international community. Quite an arrogant thing to say as Honduras is estimated to be losing 10 million dollars every day since the coup.
Honduras begins election campaigning amid political crisis
The European Union is expected to decide on whether or not they will recognize the result of the elections in a meeting of foreign ministers later this month. Until then their position continues to be support of the Arias proposal and until further notice suspension of the association agreement negotiations.
The Arias proposal is still the only thing that the international community can agree about. In the meantime demonstrations continue every day all over Honduras. There have been no violent incidents this week, but the repression is still a part of everyday life. The media is still manipulating reality.
September 4th, 2009
August 28th, 2009
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