Monday, July 6, 2009

DAY 9: PRESIDENT ZELAYA IN NICARAGUA, HEADING TO WASHINGTON TOMORROW

President Zelaya arrived back in Nicaragua today. He is expected to fly to Washington tomorrow and meet with the Organization of American States (OAS) again, as well as participate in a meeting with "high level" State Department officials. Yesterday, Zelaya had stated he was meeting with the State Department today, Monday, and news sources confirmed this meeting would be with Secretary Clinton. However, today, the State Department spokesperson, Ian Kelly, only affirmed that President Zelaya was expected back in Washington on Tuesday, and plans were underway to organize a meeting with "high level" State Department officials. It is unclear at this point if that means the Secretary of State or those under her command.

Today the coup de facto government in Honduras sent a delegation of representatives to Washington to apparently engage in talks with the OAS, to discuss reestablishing relations. Yesterday, coup de facto leader Roberto Micheletti was pretty clear about refusing to negotiate the return of President Zelaya, and today, that was confirmed by Micheletti's "foreign minister", who said that everything was negotiable "except Zelaya's return to Honduras".

The US government is allowing this commission of coup representatives, involved in high crimes of treason, violation of human rights, kidnapping of a head of state, forced exile and murder, to travel into the country, apparently with US visas. Why? The US uses visa policy to exclude foreigners all the time for ideological reasons and many other reasons. So why are they allowing criminals to come visit Washington?

Protesters against the coup and in favor of President Zelaya's immediate unconditional return are still in the streets in Honduras. However, they are subject to a very strict curfew that begins at 6:30pm and ends at 6am, so movement is very difficult.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

More than 200 New Zealanders have signed a statement in the last three days condemning the coup, but the New Zealand Government has not made any formal statement, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs has so far failed to agree to a meeting to receive the statement and signatures from organisers. The New Zealand mainstream press basically ignored the coup until Monday 6th, and appear to following the US media disinformation strategy, making it difficult to get the truth through to the people here. Hopefully this and other articles are helping....
http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0907/S00047.htm
but we have a big job ahead to counter what is not just a coup in Honduras but a concerted attempt to destroy growing Latin American unity.

Unknown said...

The U.S.regime is playing Zelaya -- and all the rest of us -- for suckers. Only they gain by stalling, day after day. The ALBA members should never have given the ball to the OAS. Just think of who owns them.

Zelaya should get into the country and face the fascist danger alongside the masses IMMEDIATELY.

Hudson said...

El canciller brasileño Celso Amorim teria dijo que el golpe en Honduras no va resistir por mucho tiempo, según la Agência Brasil (empresa de comunicación estatal). La razón seria que "sin la ayuda económica del Banco Mundial e BID, sin petroleo y con las relaciones comerciales suspendidas con EE.UU., el regímen golpista" solo va a durar "algunos dias o semanas".

Pregunto si es verdad que las relaciones comerciales con EE.UU. han sido suspendidas. No concluyo eso de las declaraciones del vocero estadunidense.

Brazilian Minister Celso Amorim said that the coup cannot be hold for more than a month due to the restrictions of founds, oil supply, and suspension of comercial relations with USA.

My question: is really true that USA suspended comercial relations with Honduras? That information seems conflicting with Ian Kelly recent declarations.

Hudson said...

Eva, did USA suspend or not comercial relations with Honduras under Micheletti?

Eva Golinger said...

No, the USG has not suspended any aid - military or economic - as of yet to Honduras...State Dept said they "paused" some economic aid that directly goes to the government, but no numbers were given in terms of how much...But all other aid remains in place.