U.S. government officials have indicated that they will not press hard to reverse the Honduran military coup that toppled elected Honduran President Manuel Zelaya from office, exiled him, and endangered his supporters and other Hondurans. Although the Obama Administration has suspended some aid to Honduras and supported negotiations mediated by Costa Rican President Arias, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (pictured above in Kenya on Thursday) has begun to criticize Zelaya for “provocations” and will not declare the coup a coup. Zelaya has called for the United States to suspend most favored nation trading status trade with Honduras, which would deal a serious blow to the Honduran economy, which is heavily dependent on U.S. trade. The Obama-Clinton move came as Republican senators—much more supportive of the coup—have threatened to hold up Obama State Department nominations.
The United States operates military bases in the Honduras, and the Honduran military and leading families can afford to ignore the wishes of Honduran middle and working classes and rural communities partly because the U.S. subsidizes the Honduran government. Zelaya’s leftward turn in the past year alarmed various Honduran interests, who feared that the Zelaya administration aspired to govern in the style of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. But Zelaya’s effort to schedule a straw ballot on whether Honduras should have a constitutional convention was one of only many steps that he would have had to take to make it possible for him to serve another term. In fact, Zelaya was not on the ballot for the upcoming election, and the ballot is already finalized. The coup has apparently given the Honduran security forces and others a free shot at left-wing and community leaders they can tie to the outgoing administration.
Consider contacting Kentuckiana House member John Yarmuth at 582-5129, at (202) 225-5401, or at The Honorable John Yarmuth, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515, and Senator Mitch McConnell at 582-6304, at (202) 224-2541, or at The Honorable Mitch McConnell, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Ask them to help restore democracy and the Zelaya administration in Honduras. Have the coup declared a coup and suspend most favored nation trading status.
-- Perry
The United States operates military bases in the Honduras, and the Honduran military and leading families can afford to ignore the wishes of Honduran middle and working classes and rural communities partly because the U.S. subsidizes the Honduran government. Zelaya’s leftward turn in the past year alarmed various Honduran interests, who feared that the Zelaya administration aspired to govern in the style of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. But Zelaya’s effort to schedule a straw ballot on whether Honduras should have a constitutional convention was one of only many steps that he would have had to take to make it possible for him to serve another term. In fact, Zelaya was not on the ballot for the upcoming election, and the ballot is already finalized. The coup has apparently given the Honduran security forces and others a free shot at left-wing and community leaders they can tie to the outgoing administration.
Consider contacting Kentuckiana House member John Yarmuth at 582-5129, at (202) 225-5401, or at The Honorable John Yarmuth, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515, and Senator Mitch McConnell at 582-6304, at (202) 224-2541, or at The Honorable Mitch McConnell, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Ask them to help restore democracy and the Zelaya administration in Honduras. Have the coup declared a coup and suspend most favored nation trading status.
-- Perry
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