The coup which took place in Honduras on June 28 is at the centre of attention in the hemisphere but has so far received little coverage or comment in the Caricom region. The coup follows a pattern which was seen in Venezuela in April 2002 and in Haiti in February 2004: the demonisation of the sitting President for allegedly unconstitutional actions, physical removal of the President by soldiers followed by a fake letter of resignation, and the assumption of office by a civilian leader supposedly authorised by the Constitution with the aim of securing domestic and international legitimacy. Hence Dr Isabel Rauber of the School of Philosophy at the National University of Lanus in Agentina writes of ‘neo-golpismo’ in Latin America. However, the balance of international forces has changed, and calls for the restoration to office of President Zelaya have been made by the United Nations General Assembly, the OAS General Council, the Rio Group, the members of the Central American Integration System (SICA), the members of the ALBA Group, the EU and the United States Government. SICA has imposed a 48-hour trade embargo, the World Bank and the IDB have suspended loans, Venezuela is contemplating an oil embargo; and the OAS has given the Honduran authorities an ultimatum or face suspension of Honduran membership. Caricom states, which have already joined in the international condemnation as members of the UN and of several regional organisations, will presumably use the opportunity of their summit which opens July 2 in Georgetown, to issue a statement of their own.
Latin America Drags a Reluctant Washington Into Supporting Democracy in Honduras Mark Weisbrot
Caricom calls for immediate reinstatement of Honduran President
- 1.
- AGJ: Honduras Action Alert and Media Suggestions! From: Walter Lippmann
- 2.
- JR: Zelaya Delays Return to Honduras Waiting For End of OAS Deadline From: Walter Lippmann
- 4.
- GLOBAL POST/Miroff: Honduras coup: The view from Cuba From: Walter Lippmann
- 5.
- 7.
- Statement Against Coup in Honduras: 2nd Int’l Che Conference From: Tamara Hansen
- 1a.
- Re: REUTERS: Q+A: U.S. could cut off aid to Honduras after coup From: Matthew Dubuque
- 2.
- COUNTERPUNCH: Why Zelaya’s Actions were legal under Honduran law From: Matthew Dubuque
- 3.
- COUNTERPUNCH: Honduras, a Coup With No Future From: NPV
- 3.
- TFC Newsletter SPECIAL ISSUE on the Coup d’Etat in Honduras From: Sabrina Johnson
- 4.
- NYT: After Losing Honduras, Ousted Leader Wins International Support From: Walter Lippmann
- 5.
- MEXICO CITY/July 2: Protest against Honduran coup (Spanish) From: Walter Lippmann
- 6.
- WSJ: Ousted Honduran President Wins U.N. Backing From: Walter Lippmann
- 7.
- Joaquin Bustelo on the UN resolution From: Walter Lippmann
I am agree with you Mr Girvan, I think that the key to this conflict is that “the balance of international forces has changed”. In this change we can see a new US administration and a new Latin America acting.
JM
I would think that the Honduran coup, and its international context, would be of major concern at the Institute of International Relations — so much has happened that I think members of Honduras’ pretend government would have been failed and laughed out the door at IIR. For example, this new government, recognized by no one, assumes the authority of withdrawing from the OAS, and even denouncing the very OAS Charter to which Honduras signed on. The assumption they make is that this way the OAS cannot impose sanctions, because Honduras is no longer a member state…except that the OAS does not recognize Micheletti or his amateur make believe foreign minister.
What I think is more disturbing is the softening U.S. stance, especially when contrasted with Obama’s statements on Iran. Now the U.S. wishes to determine if it may have been a “legal coup” while their ambassador in Tegucigalpa merely says the U.S. is “concerned” about the curtailment of civil rights. I very much doubt that the U.S. did not know about this coup in advance, was unaware of military moves when they have troops on the ground there, and could not have reversed it by simply having Obama phone Micheletti. Moreover, a military whose leadership was trained in the U.S. proclaims now that though what it did was in fact illegal, after decades of fighting leftists they cannot possibly serve a left wing president — which seems to annul in advance any election results it cannot tolerate.
Should a coup take place, or an attempted one take place again, in Trinidad…some may regret the time they could have been more vocal about the coup in Honduras.