Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

June 22, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Next stop on the Obama administration’s “normalizing” with dictators?

Thomas Shannon (left in the above photo), a senior counselor to Secretary of State John F. Kerry, met with Venezuela’s National Assembly president Diodado Cabello (right) in Haiti earlier this month.

As you may recall, Diosdado is being investigated by the U.S. Justice department for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Jackson Diehl asks, why?

Cabello and his nominal boss, President Nicolás Maduro, were quick to trumpet their versions. The meeting, Maduro said, was part of a “normalization” of relations between his increasingly beleaguered regime and the Obama administration. Cabello offered it as proof that the reports that he is a U.S. criminal suspect are false. U.S. officials, meanwhile, sounded confused. Both the White House and State Department spokesmen said they were unaware that Cabello had met with Shannon.I heard another story: that the meeting was part of what has become an increasingly urgent attempt by the administration to broker a soft landing for a collapsing Latin American state.

Diehl speculates that Kerry intends to prolong Leopoldo Lopez’s life, and aim for “fair elections” (whatever that means in Venezuela at this point, since there is no reason why the Venezuelan regime would want a real election). Mary O’Grady has more,

A State Department official told me last week that the issues discussed with Mr. Cabello in Haiti included the treatment of the Maduro government’s political prisoners, the importance of setting a date for parliamentary elections this year, and providing internationally credible observation.

While Shannon has traveled twice to Venezuela this year,

when asked at a State Department briefing about Mr. Cabello’s role in Port-au-Prince, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said “I was not aware of a meeting with him.”

And yet,

A State Department spokesperson told me in an email last week that the [Haiti] meeting was “positive and productive.” Translation: Nothing to see here; move along. In fact there’s a lot riding on these negotiations. The end of the chavismo dictatorship would be a good thing. But a descent into chaos of African proportions would take with it the frail democracy movement.

Venezuela News and Views agrees,

The fact of the matter is that Venezuela is a problem big enough that negotiations are a must because the alternative, not negotiating and waiting to see what happens is even worse.

There is a lot riding on these negotiations, for both Venezuela and Cuba.

And then there is a fourth party not mentioned by Diehl and O’Grady: Iran.

Emili Blasco, in his book Bumerán Chávez: Los fraudes que llevaron al colapso de Venezuela, details the many and extensive ties between Iran and Venezuela. Not to be ignored is how Iran milks the difference between the black market and official bolivar-dollar exchange rates and drains Venezuela’s foreign currency reserves. An easing of commercial ties between the U.S. and Venezuela will benefit Venezuela’s foreign currency reserves.

Iran, for one, will be watching closely.

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Filed Under: Haiti, Iran, John Kerry, Venezuela Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Thomas Shannon, US State Department

October 30, 2009 By Fausta

Honduran government caves into US pressure, agrees to Zelaya’s restitution

miche291ban

The BBC phrases it tactfully: Honduras rivals resolve deadlock

The interim leader of Honduras says he is ready to sign a pact to end its crisis which could include the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Roberto Micheletti said the agreement would create a power-sharing government and require both sides to recognise the result of November’s presidential poll.

Mr Zelaya said the deal, which requires the approval of the Supreme Court and Congress, would be signed on Friday.
…
The opponents had earlier been told by US Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon that they had to reach an accord in order to ensure international support for the election on 29 November.

Afterwards, Mr Micheletti announced that a power-sharing deal had been reached that included a “significant concession”.

“I have authorised my negotiating team to sign a deal that marks the beginning of the end of the country’s political situation,” the interim leader told a news conference.

“With regard to the most contentious subject in the deal, the possible restitution of Zelaya to the presidency” would be included, he said.

Mr Zelaya described the accord as a “triumph for Honduran democracy”, and said he was “optimistic” of returning to power.

Noticias 24, however, states it as it is: Micheletti sucumbe a la presión de EE.UU. y acepta la restitución de Zelaya (Micheletti caves under US pressure and agrees to Zelaya’s return). Noticias 24 lists the main points of the agreement (my translation: if you use this translation please credit me and link to this post):

1. The creation of a reconciliation government.
2. Rejection of political amnesty.
3. Recognition of the November 29 elections.
4. Transferring control of the Armed Forces from the Executive to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
5. Creating a verification commission to enforce compliance with the agreement.
6. Creating a truth commission to investigate the events before, during and after June 28, the date of Zelaya’s removal.
7. Requesting that the international community end all sanctions against Honduras and that they send in observers to the presidential election.
8. Supporting the proposal for a vote of the National Congress with the approval of the Supreme Court of Justice to reinstate all the Executive Power prior to June 28, that is, restoring Zelaya to power.

Both sides signed the agreement.

La Gringa, who liveblogged last night’s news, posted

Worst news of all: supposedly Thomas Shannon has been pressuring the congressmen to vote for the restoration of Zelay or else! The exact words were that “Shannon scared the living hell out of everyone here including Micheletti.” Yeah, remember the press conference? “We’re just here to help. We aren’t going to intervene. We’ll respect any decision that the Hondurans make.” Yeah, right. Now they are even threatening elected Honduran officials that they won’t recognize elections unless they vote yes. I’m sure there must be economic threats as well.

El Heraldo (in Spanish) makes it clear that US State Dept. envoy for Latin America Thomas Shannon went to Honduras to twist arms: his position was that the November 29 elections would not be recognized unless Zelaya was returned to power. I guess nothing ensures democracy like restoring to power the guy who did his outmost to undermine democracy, at least in Shannon’s eyes.

Others reporting:
NY Times Deal Reached in Honduras to Restore Ousted President
WaPo: In Pakistan, Clinton announces resolution to Honduran crisis
The Guardian: Deal could lead to reinstatement of ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya
Agreement to create power-sharing government paves way for return of leader ousted in military coup

Here in the US, John Kerry wants Law Library report on Honduras retracted (the Library of Congress stands by its report), while yesterday in Honduras Zelaya warmly greeted Shannon in the room with the tin-foil curtains where he stays at the Brazilian embassy to protect himself from mind-altering radiation:

ZelayaShannon

Zelaya crowed

“The mere fact that Micheletti recognizes the need to rebring the state power to June 28 means a triumph for Honduran democracy.”

Related reading: Who’s behind the Obama Honduras policy?

Blog reaction
US crams Honduras agreement on return of Zelaya down government’s throat
Honduras Caves to US Interference
Zelaya returned to power
AN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION “TRIUMPH”
Scott Johnson

It is perfectly fitting that the signal diplomatic triumph of President Obama’s first year in office is the restoration to power of the lawfully deposed Honduran thug and friend of Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega and Hugh Chavez. It is inimical to the national interest of the United States. it is a setback for the supporters of democracy in the beleaguered country of Honduras. And it is a defeat for those who believe in the rule of law. It is, in other words, a triumph of “smart diplomacy.”

Zelaya To Return As President Of Honduras, But Only To Sit On His Proktos
Ousted Leftist Zelaya & Honduran Government Sign Pact
Smart Diplomacy: Mrs. Clinton Helps Re-install Ousted Honduran Thug
Times of London:

The breakthrough came after renewed pressure from senior US officials who travelled to Honduras this week for a last-ditch effort to end the crisis.

Chicago comes to Honduras
Honduran Government Succumbs to the Obama Administration’s Pressure, Fellow Marxist Manuel Zelaya Will Be Returned to Power…..
Micheletti Caves in Honduras
Telling It as It Is — New York Times Style
Honduras Folds Part 2
Meanwhile, back in Honduras
Zelaya’s back!
Under U.S. Pressure, Bankrupt Honduras Agrees to Return Authoritarian Ex-President to Power
Obama Administration Forces Honduran Capitulation to Chaves Wanna-Be
The Rank Stench of Success
The Democrats in Honduras
A Settlement is Achieved in Honduras. Elections to be Respected, Zelaya’s future uncertain.
Travesty in Honduras
Who Came out of the Honduran Crisis Looking the Best? Hillary.
Ros-Lehtinen Comments on Developments in Honduras
Zelaya To Be Temporarily Restored to Office In Honduras; Recent Killings Definitely Not Related, No Sir
Finally: Obama gets a foreign policy success—unfortunately, it’s in Honduras, not Iran
US Makes Honduras Restore President
Fausta: “Honduran Government Caves” to US; Restores Zelaya
Everyone’s mighty confident about this Honduras deal
Obama Saves Face – Forces Honduran Congress To Go Through The Motions Of Restating Their Position On Zelaya
Honduras: Sold out
Don’t pack your bags yet, Mel
Reports of a Deal in Honduras Are Premature
Honduras: An Obama-Clinton disgrace
Return of the Honduran Prodigal

The U.S. embassy in Honduras did yeomen’s work watching out for the interests of the Zelaya clan, leaving many to wonder which side it was pulling for. In short, against a small, friendly, anti-Chávez ally, the administration mustered the sort of muscle it would never dare use against Iran, Russia, or Venezuela.

The accord requires implementation by the Hondurans, good behavior by Zelaya, and a quick infusion of international support for the elections. It requires hands-on U.S. diplomacy, not pre-June 28 complacency, to make sure Zelaya doesn’t yet derail the electoral process and steal Honduras from under the eyes of the Obama administration.

Potential Deal Reached In Honduras
Honduras agreement allows Zelaya return

Post re-edited to correct a broken link. Blog reaction roundup will be updated through the day.

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Filed Under: Honduras, Latin America Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Manuel Zelaya, Mel Zelaya, Roberto Micheletti, Thomas Shannon, US State Department

October 8, 2009 By Fausta

Honduras’s Micheletti blasts OAS

Micheletti_smallAs you know, currently representatives from the Honduran government and Zelayistas are meeting in Honduras, along with OAS members and the US’s Subsecretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Thomas Shannon.

The OAS’s Insulza and Shannon continue to insist that Honduras ignore its own laws and reinstate Zelaya, under the San Jose Accord.

Yesterday Honduran president Roberto Micheletti had the opportunity to speak to the OAS in public, and speak he did: Honduras President Roberto Micheletti blasted OAS in new round of crisis talks

“First, I wish to express unending thanks for the good will that you are showing . . . but we must speak out about something: the truth. You do not know the whole truth and, at times it appears that you do not want to hear it. Why don’t we begin to investigate what happened before the 28th of June?

What happened was that Zelaya attempted to extend his own term limits, something specifically forbidden by the Honduran Constitution. Zelaya was also plundering the state treasury,

“Today we have the evidence. This is not just talk. Where Mr. Zelaya was feeding his horses with government money, where he paid the man who kept it with the State’s funds; twenty-seven thousand lempiras per month for the keeper and 20 thousand for the horses’ feed. Jewels purchased with government money, charged to the treasury of the Republic. But no one wants to see any of that. I would like you to investigate what has happened with the Treasury of Honduras in the past three months since we have been in charge.

“We were accused and sentenced in the 20 minutes that the OAS meeting lasted, where it was presumed we had staged a coup d’état. Unfortunately, in this country, some people read our constitution and say it’s a monstrosity; but that monstrosity has kept order, quiet and peace in this country for 29 years under a democratic regime in which nobody had attempted to breach the constitutional order in our country by trying to set up a Constitutional convention.”

Regarding next month’s upcoming election, which the US State Dept. has said they might not recognize,

“. . . . There will be elections on November 29, unless we are invaded, that is the only way to stop them. Not because of a personal whim, but because they were already scheduled. Primary elections were held and candidates chosen in 2008 and they have been campaigning. I ask myself: If Zelaya had no intentions to stay in power [beyond his term of office] why didn’t he fund the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which is in charge of running elections in our country? They are not carried out by the President or the National Congress. It is the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which was elected one and a half years ago. Why hadn’t he given it one single penny to begin organizing the programs on the corresponding dates, as required by law? A week after we took office we provided the Tribunal with the necessary funds.

“This was the only country in the world where the government was being conducted without a budget. For the last nine months we had no budget and the current Minister of Finances tells us that there are 5.6 billion lempiras that no one knows where they went or how they were spent because there are no supporting documents.”

After Micheletti’s speech, the OAS foreign ministers’ mission left the country, leaving a techinical committee, but not before insisting that Zelaya be reinstated.

Via Monica, who reports that the talks failed just a few minutes ago.

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Filed Under: Honduras Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Manuel Zelaya, Mel Zelaya, OAS, Thomas Shannon

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