As expected, Honduras rejects OAS appeal to restore president
Earlier today:
Demonstrators clashed with police and the army in Honduras (link in Spanish), and the country (as I posted yesterday) has suspended Constitutional protections on freedom of assembly during the curfew. Noticias 24 (see prior link for photos) also reports that Congress authorized detaining people for more than 24 hours. A member of the opposition party Unificación Democrática (UD) claims there have been 700 detentions, of which 20 are still under arrest. According to La Prensa, the curfew was scheduled to end tonight at 5AM. If any of the readers in Honduras can verify, please enter links in the comments section.
In today’s WSJ, Honduras Takes Control of Some Media
The country’s Channel 36, run by a close associate of expelled Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, was shut down following Mr. Zelaya’s ouster and remained off the air this week, with only a blank signal showing up on Honduran televisions.
Channel 8, a state-owned network that had also supported Mr. Zelaya, went off the air on Sunday and then returned with a new cast of anchors, largely delivering news friendly to the government’s interim president, Roberto Micheletti.
Radio Globo, a network that spent much energy criticizing Mr. Micheletti before he took power, remains under military guard, according to its owner, Alejandro Villatoro. When it broadcast the first Honduran interview with Mr. Zelaya Wednesday from exile, in which he was addressed as “Mr. President,” soldiers turned off the station’s transmitter, Mr. Villatoro said.
Other outlets less closely allied with Mr. Zelaya said they had no complaints.
…
The shutdown of Channel 36, for example, has left some newsmen ambivalent, because of what they see as the station’s commitment to attacking Mr. Zelaya’s adversaries when he was in power. Channel 36 owner Edras Lopez, was a close supporter of Mr. Zelaya and last year took aim at Mr. Micheletti, accusing him in a series of commercials of bribery and corruption, according to members of the Honduran media and congressmen. Mr. Lopez could not be reached for comment.
The WSJ quotes Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group for press freedom based in France, said Wednesday that some stations “have resumed broadcasting but their coverage of the coup is either closely controlled or nonexistent.” It also said international news outlets including U.S.-based CNN and Venezuela’s Telesur — which is run by the government of Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez and strongly supports Mr. Zelaya — were no longer available on TV stations and could only be seen on the Internet.
If any of my readers in Honduras can verify that CNN is no longer available on cable I would be much obliged.
UPDATE
In the comments section, La Gringa:
I have watched CNN 18-20 hours a day HERE IN HONDURAS since 7:30 am Sunday morning when I woke up.
(end update)
In yesterday’s ‘Aló Presidente Hugo Chávez used his typical alarmistic rethoric by warning Honduras that “a bloodbath is about to happen” (video in Spanish, via commenter Spartan)
Of course Chávez didn’t miss the opportunity to blame the USA for everything while calling the US government’s reaction “weak.”
Carlos Alberto Montaner, writing at the WaPo blog, confirms that the US had “tried very hard to keep Honduras’s Congress from ousting President Manuel Zelaya” and sheltered Zelaya’s son last Sunday. Montaner is worried about a bloodbath, too, and suggests,
The solution is to move forward with the general elections planned for November. It’s a solution within everyone’s reach: the candidates are already there, freely elected in open primaries, and both enjoy much popularity. Why plunge this society irresponsibly into a maelstrom of violence? Once the new government is selected, a government that enjoys the legitimacy generated by a democratic process, the Honduran people can push this lamentable episode into the past.
Micheletti has gone on the record saying that he would be willing to hold elections ahead of schedule if that would ease the standoff. As of the writing of this post Insulza is scheduled to arrive in Honduras today
The LA Times also says
After Zelaya was seized, his wife, Xiomara Castro, and their youngest son took refuge at the home of the U.S. ambassador, where they remain. The U.S. Embassy has a no-contact policy with the Micheletti faction.
This article from El Salvador.com states that Xiomara Castro de Zelaya had said that she had been with her mother and doesn’t mention anything about the US Embassy.
Libertad Digital has in PDF form the Honduran Supreme Court’s Timeline of Events also available at their official website, the Honduran Supreme Court Arrest Warrant against Manuel Zelaya ordering the Armed Forces to capture Zelaya on Sunday June 26 for “acting against the government, treason, abuse of authority and usurpation of power,” and the Honduran Attorney General’s arrest warrant against Zelaya dated Saturday June 25 (all in Spanish, of course).
Opinion at Counterterrorism Blog: Honduras and the Bolivarian Revolution.
Updates later today.
I changed the title of the post after reconsidering
More commentary
A ‘coup’ in Honduras? Nonsense.
Don’t believe the myth. The arrest of President Zelaya represents the triumph of the rule of law.
Who cares about Honduras?
Obama ‘meddles’ in Honduras — and chooses the wrong side
Is this why Obama supports Zelaya?
10:45AM
Miami Herald: Top Honduran military lawyer: We broke the law
In an interview with The Miami Herald and El Salvador’s elfaro.net, army attorney Col. Herberth Bayardo Inestroza acknowledged that top military brass made the call to forcibly remove Zelaya — and they circumvented laws when they did it.
It was the first time any participant in Sunday’s overthrow admitted committing an offense and the first time a Honduran authority revealed who made the decision that has been denounced worldwide.
”We know there was a crime there,” said Inestroza, the top legal advisor for the Honduran armed forces. “In the moment that we took him out of the country, in the way that he was taken out, there is a crime. Because of the circumstances of the moment this crime occurred, there is going to be a justification and cause for acquittal that will protect us.”
6PM
La Gringa comments,
Our constitutional rights have not been revoked. We simply have a curfew which is only necessary because of the violence and vandalism being committed by pro-Zelaya protesters, assisted by thugs being imported from Nicaragua and Venezuela. Just last night they bombed a KFC in Tegucigalpa.
According to independent public polls, anywhere from 87 to 92% of the population are in favor of continuing the curfew.
Read also her post on the demonstrations.
Via Anchor Rising, Zero Sheep examines the Constitution.
Bravo, Fausta. Very good and timely coverage. I’m quite concerned about the press supression we have now. I’m hopeful that when this weekend passes without foreign troop intervention that things will normalize. Zelaya and Chavez are doing a lot of agitating behind the scenes now, and with the World being slow to realize what had been happening under Zelaya, it remains delicate and dangerous.
Another good article can be found on the link
.
From Tegucigalpa
Curfew (and liberty restrictions)ends tomorrow, 4 July per terms of the decree.
Following, from Newspaper “La Prensa” of San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ large industrial city is in Spanish.
Mañana a las 5 am todo vuelve a la normalidad
Las patrullas, ambulancias, bomberos, transporte de combustible, vehículos que transportan los cuatro diarios y periodistas plenamente identificados pueden circular sin problema
02.07.09 – Actualizado: 02.07.09 09:05pm – Redacción: redaccion@laprensa.hn
Tegucigalpa,
Honduras
El Congreso Nacional aprobó una ley que restringe al menos cinco derechos o garantías constitucionales, entre diez de la noche y cinco de la mañana, con el afán de proteger la integridad de la gente honesta.
Las restricciones, de acuerdo al decreto, finalizarían mañana a las 5.00 pm.
Las medidas se aplicaron porque se considera que han ingresado en el país extranjeros con la intención de crear conflictos y una manera de neutralizarlos es impedir que circulen libremente.
Restricciones
Entre las garantías restringidas en el horario mencionado, durante tres días, están la libertad individual consignada en el artículo 69 de la Constitución y el impedimento de circular en el horario establecido, es decir que nadie podrá circular en ese horario.
Además, no se permite en esas horas la asociación o las reuniones de ninguna naturaleza; se suspende la garantía de que la detención no dure más de 24 horas sin poner al ciudadano a disposición de los tribunales de justicia si es capturado en el horario de restricción.
Se rompe el derecho a la inviolabilidad del domicilio en casos justificados. Es decir que si la autoridad sospecha que hay grupos o personas planificando acciones delictivas, podrán ser arrestadas mediante allanamiento a cualquier hora de la noche, explicó el diputado Rolando Dubón Bueso, dictaminador del proyecto.
El decreto ejecutivo número 011-2009, aprobado por el presidente de la República, Roberto Micheletti, y ratificado por el Congreso Nacional reduce en dos horas el horario en relación a como se aprobó inicialmente.
Este decreto ampliado está vigente desde el miércoles y finaliza mañana a las 5.00 pm. “El horario será de diez de la noche a cinco de la mañana, y en el derecho de circular podrán hacerlo, dentro de este horario y sin ningún problema, el transporte de carga de combustible, de periódicos, de ambulancias y de bomberos”, indicó.
En cuanto a las razones para impedir la circulación de noche, justificó que hay investigaciones policiales contra personas imputadas y por eso, si la Policía tiene información, podrá ingresar en esos domicilios sin el aval de un juez o fiscal, pero la autoridad debe tener sospechas fundadas. Dejó claro que “estamos amparados en la Constitución y la Carta de Naciones Unidas. Se protege el de libertad de expresión. Apenas son cinco derechos los restringidos”.
La comisión dictaminadora establece: “Se estima la necesidad de suspensión o restricción de algunos de los derechos establecidos en la Constitución de la República dentro de las normas que la Organización de las Nacionales Unidas permite en este tipo de situaciones, por lo que pronunciamos que el presente decreto sea ratificado en los términos del artículo 187, numeral 4, 205 numeral 23 de la Constitución de la República”.
El diputado Antonio Rivera aclaró que las restricciones de las garantías individuales se aplican durante de diez de la noche a cinco de la mañana. “La libertad de asociación que contempla el decreto es que no pueden realizarse reuniones públicas solamente en ese período de tiempo, pero derechos como la libertad de expresión pueden darse todo el día”.
Los diputados manifiestan que las Fuerzas Armadas han detectado la presencia de grupos de agitadores procedentes de Venezuela, Nicaragua y Cuba, lo que presenta un gran peligro para los hondureños. Los parlamentarios justifican en esa información la puesta en vigencia del decreto ejecutivo.
Las garantías suspendidas
ART. 69. La libertad personal es inviolable y sólo con arreglo de las leyes podrá ser restringida o suspendida temporalmente.
ART. 71. Ninguna persona puede ser detenida ni incomunicada por más de 24 horas, sin ser puesta a la orden de autoridad competente para su juzgamiento. La detención judicial para inquirir no podrá exceder de seis días.
ART. 78. Se garantizan las libertades de asociación y de reunión siempre que no sean contrarias al orden público y a las buenas costumbres.
ART. 81. Toda persona tiene derecho a circular libremente, salir, entrar y permanecer en el territorio nacional.
ART. 84. Nadie podrá ser detenido, sino en virtud de mandato escrito de autoridad competente, expedido con las formalidades legales y por motivo previamente establecido en la Ley.
ART. 93. Aún con auto de prisión, ninguna persona puede ser llevada a la cárcel ni detenida, si otorga caución suficiente de conformidad con la ley.
ART. 99. El domicilio es inviolable. Ningún ingreso o registro podrá verificarse sin consentimiento de la persona que lo habita o resolución de autoridad competente. No obstante, puede ser allanado en caso de urgencia para impedir la comisión o la impunidad de delitos. Exceptuando los casos de urgencia, el allanamiento del domicilio no puede verificarse de las 6.00 pm a 6.00 am sin incurrir en responsabilidad. La ley determinará los requisitos y formalidades para que tenga lugar el ingreso, registro o allanamiento, así como las responsabilidades en que pueda incurrir quien lo lleve a cabo.
Decreto ejecutivo N011-2009
CONSIDERANDO: Que es del conocimiento del pueblo hondureño las decisiones que el CN se ha visto obligado a tomar para preservar la democracia y el Estado de derecho en que vivimos.
CONSIDERANDO: Que para garantizar la seguridad ciudadana, la paz y la tranquilidad del pueblo hondureño se hace necesario tomar medidas preventivas de conformidad con la ley.
CONSIDERANDO: Que el ejercicio de los derechos establecidos en los artículos 69,71,72,78,81,84,93 y 99 de la Constitución de la República podrá suspenderse, entre otros casos, por la perturbación grave a la patria, de conformidad a lo establecido en los artículos 187 y 188 de la Constitución de la República.
CONSIDERANDO: Que al artículo 245 numeral 7 de la Constitución de la República atribuye a este poder del Estado la potestad de suspender los derechos individuales de conformidad a lo prescrito en la Constitución de la República.
Por tanto: Decreta
Artículo 1: Restringir los derechos ciudadanos siguientes que consagra la Constitución de la República: la libertad personal, consignado en el artículo 69; detención e incomunicación por más de 24 horas, consignado en el artículo 71; la libertad de asociación y de reunión, consignado en el artículo 78; circular libremente, salir, entrar y permanecer en el territorio nacional, consignado en el artículo 81, con excepción de los carros patrullas, ambulancias, bomberos, transporte de combustible y los que transportan los diarios escritos de circulación nacional.
Artículo 2: Los derechos a que hace referencia el artículo anterior serán restringidos de 10.00 pm a 5.00 am en todo el territorio nacional por el término de 72 horas a partir de la aprobación del presente decreto, debiendo regirse por la ley de estado de sitio por el tiempo que dure la suspensión de los mismos.
Oh, Fausta, please don’t report Chavez’s disinformation! Please be responsible. I have watched CNN 18-20 hours a day HERE IN HONDURAS since 7:30 am Sunday morning when I woke up.
Our constitutional rights have not been revoked. We simply have a curfew which is only necessary because of the violence and vandalism being committed by pro-Zelaya protesters, assisted by thugs being imported from Nicaragua and Venezuela. Just last night they bombed a KFC in Tegucigalpa.
According to independent public polls, anywhere from 87 to 92% of the population are in favor of continuing the curfew.
I did not have time to read your entire article because I’m trying to get the truth out! Please look at these photos WHICH CNN WILL NOT SHOW YOU, and tell me if this looks like a repressed people. Please, please, please!
Photos from Honduras
People of the world should be more worried about the bias and censorship in their own media. You are not getting the truth. Why?
Wow, Fausta mentioned me despite of my maccarroni english. XD.
I’m gonna read the new post, tranquilly.
Gringa, nice pictures. But don’t get angry, calm down. I understand you but it’s necessary to read both sides, since we don’t live in Honduras. Anyway, I think that little by little people all over the world is beginning to see that we weren’t told everything.
I think that if you (I mean… Micheletti) bring elections forward, it will be easier for everybody (the World) to understand that Honduras is deffending democracy. About Zelaya, no doubt, take him to jail (in my opinion that is what you should have done last sunday instead of deporting him).
One question…. is Zelaya coming back with in his pyjamas (smelly after six days holidays) or wearing the Hugo pret-a-porter red shirt?
Maybe Castro’s haute couture guayabera?
Now, I get serious. Nice speech from Ortez, “canciller” (I don’t know how to translate this) of Honduras:
“Ahora vamos a jugar derecho internacional, tenemos las leyes, la Constitución, vamos a hacer que se nos respete, la soberanía no se negocia, se defiende”
“Sovereign not to negotiate, (only) to defend it”
The following was published in the Christian Science Monitor by Octavio Sánchez, a lawyer, and a former presidential adviser (2002-05) and minister of culture (2005-06) of the Republic of Honduras:
….. On June 26, President Zelaya issued a decree ordering all government employees to take part in the “Public Opinion Poll to convene a National Constitutional Assembly.” In doing so, Zelaya triggered a constitutional provision that automatically removed him from office ….. His actions showed intent…..
According to Article 239 [of the Honduras Constitution]: “No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform , as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.”
Notice that the article speaks about intent and that it also says “immediately” – as in “instant,” as in “no trial required,” as in “no impeachment needed.”
Continuismo – the tendency of heads of state to extend their rule indefinitely – has been the lifeblood of Latin America’s authoritarian tradition. The Constitution’s provision of instant sanction might sound draconian, but every Latin American democrat knows how much of a threat to our fragile democracies continuismo presents. In Latin America, chiefs of state have often been above the law. The instant sanction of the supreme law has successfully prevented the possibility of a new Honduran continuismo.
The Supreme Court and the attorney general ordered Zelaya’s arrest for disobeying several court orders compelling him to obey the Constitution. He was detained and taken to Costa Rica. Why? Congress needed time to convene and remove him from office. With him inside the country that would have been impossible. This decision was taken by the 123 (of the 128) members of Congress present that day.
Don’t believe the coup myth. The Honduran military acted entirely within the bounds of the Constitution. The military gained nothing but the respect of the nation by its actions …..
Vigilante, the link is in the post, under the “More commentary” section
Had the Honduran Military not removed Zelaya from the Presidency, the country would be facing another Chavez. Zelaya was already following Chavez’ footsteps. The Venezuelan Military is composed of anti-patriots bought by Chavez. That has made them dishonorable, corrupt and enabling. Just like the Venezuelan “Supreme Court”, Chavez’ appointed clowns.
What if George Bush, at the end of his 2nd term, decided he did not want to step down as President and tried to force his way onto the next ballot and demanded to be President for an unlimited amount of time. THAT is what happened in Honduras and THAT is why the military took him out, (as they should), to protect their country from becomming another dictatorship like Hugo Chavez.
@ Dr. George: I think it was Monday morning -in Spain-, when I come to Fausta’s for the first time, that I read of some presidents being scared of going through the same preocess as Zelaya. I mean, being deported, taken to jail or similar. This would explain the position our (occidental) leaders are taking on Honduras conflict.
First I didn’t pay much attention to this, but as times passes by, I recognise it can be possible.
Here in Spain, our Constitution has been twisted like a rubber band. The last thing we have to swallow here -in the country of bullfighters- is that in some regions, Spanish has been forbidden by law at schools. I’m not kidding you, read this (if you can read spanish, you’re skeptic and you have a little time):
http://e-pesimo.blogspot.com/2009/05/prohibido-hablar-en-espanol-cataluna-se.html
In our Constitution, as well as in Honduras, we have
a chapter that calls army on defending constitutional order. What if we apply this chapter of constitution? Would us be also be put out of the EU?
Since I see Fausta have not updated yet I bring this link reporting of Honduras leaving OAS:
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/07/04/internacional/1246681594.html (note that in the header the say “Honduras/coup”
This other link from Libertad Digital gives “the other view”:
http://www.libertaddigital.com/mundo/el-gobierno-de-micheletti-se-retira-de-la-oea-con-eficacia-inmediata-1276364009/
The misinformation and propaganda delivered by the media related to Chavez is so obvious that makes you wonder whether Honduras people are in favor or against the new regime each day for the last week or so.
Hopefully, Honduras will stabilize for the better of its people and more importantly, there is no room for falsas democracias and dictators disfrazados of “presidentes” in Central or South America… its surely a wake up call for many countries close to Chavez and its movimiento bolivariano
July 5, 8:15 am local time
I’m late reading this, but I live in Teguicgalpa and I have watched CNN and CNN español every day for many hours. Much nauseating coverage of Michael Jackson, unfortunately.
Just this minute saw a balanced presentation on CNN español by the correspondent of the Economist – the first decent thing so far on CNN español. CNN in English has only the most minimal coverage.
If you go to http://honduras.usembassy.gov/acs_pubannounc2009.html, the page of public announcements of the US Embassy in Honduras, you will see nothing since July 2, which makes me question reports of a report of a march of 50,000 supporters of Zelaya.
People of Honduras, PLEASE hold your ground, defend your Constitution and stand up for DIGNITY!!! You have shown Latin America what it means to be patriotic and sovereign. As a Venezuelan citizen angry and frustrated at my people’s apathy, complacency and lack of guts, I applaud Honduras’s actions to safeguard its democracy. Maybe it will serve as example and motivate the rest of the southern continent.