The US State Department’s Whiplash
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The US State department barely disguises their chokehold on Honduras. Craig Kelly’s brief visit has shown how much power the US wields in our sad little “republic”. He has been in Honduras two days, and suddenly Micheletti must resign, and general Vasquez must be arrested. The US cracks the whip and her slaves obey.
Thomas Shannon’s visit in late October of last year created the largely meaningless “Tegucigalpa/San José Accord” that gave the US a bad excuse to “legitimize” the Honduran election on November. The election was already legitimate, whether the US “recognized” it or not. Now the US demands Micheletti step down from power, and want general Romeo Vásquez be tried in court for his acts in defense of democracy. Why?
Proceso Digital reports that the Honduran District Attorney’s office has requested an arrest warrant for the head of the armed forces, General Romeo Vásquez Velazquez and all the Joint Chiefs of Staff {correction: five other high-level commanders} of the Honduran military. “The measure presented before the Supreme Court of Justice is signaling general Vásquez Velásquez and the high military cupola for the crimes of expatriation and abuse of authority, actions committed on the 28th of June, during Manuel Zelaya’s exit from power.”
Both the justice system and president elect Porfirio Lobo have given their spineless bow to the imperious demands of the US State Department. Yesterday, Lobo has publicly asked Micheletti to resign. Micheletti declined, citing Honduras’s sovereignty. The Attorney General’s office should have requested the arrest warrant against General Vásquez months ago. Doing it now simply reveals who really rules Honduras.
UPDATE: 1:53 AM. I am not against that the military answer to justice for having exiled Zelaya, which is against our Constitution. I am merely disgusted at the way Thomas Shannon and Craig Kelly’s visits violate the sovereignty of Honduras.
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It seems like a face-saving attempt. The US has to accept the Honduran elections. However, they do not want to admit error. Therefore, they are trying to get a compromise. How shameful.
Yes. Not admitting error is a very unwise policy. Honesty would be refreshing, for a change.
Lobo’s request and Michiletti’s response shows who is the real man in Honduras. Makes one wonder what Lobo was promised.
He invited the ALBA presidents to his inauguration…although he probably knew they wouldn’t attend. I would have snubbed them entirely, and I suspect Micheletti would have done the same.
…it is hard for me to believe that any country that hosts a US military base is a truly sovereign nation. Honduras hasn’t been ruling itself for a long time it seems.