Obama Hurt by Job Losses, Honduras Coup

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I am apalled by some commentaries, but i do not condemned them.
We have some of the blame of our past history of military coups.
What bothers me is that people can make such comments without understanding or caring to understand what really happened.
Whatever happened to research, is it not the way to make an unbiased opinion?
Yes the president broke many laws. Most importantly the laws clearly stated in the Honduran constitution.
It began months ago when he continously defied the congress,
the court and memebers of his own ruling party not to mention the church and many more institutions. There where many atempts to make him understand the implications of such a course of accion he was taking and withdraw from such attempt.
He was clearly defying the other two powers(judiciary,legislative) and taking the law within his own hand with the pretext of only trying to help the poor.(poor old me)
Checks and balances were at work here regardless of any justificacion the president was taking and using.
It was evendent that the power behind Zelaya was Chavez and with money and drugs coming in by the plane loads it was easy for him to buy many people in key places. It was cristal clear the true nature of his intentions.
Back to the arrest. The high court issued an arrest on the president to be carried out by the military and to be taken in
custody and eventually jailed. This were it becomes tricky to understand and why people think it was a military coup.
What does the USA goverment do when it breaks many laws in foreign countries by abducting their citizens regardless of the imputations against him. NATIONAL SECURITY.
And let me tell you I know because it happened in Honduras
with Raul Matta a drug lord. He was taken by force by DEA officers clearly illegally by Honduran law.Even though it was
illegal I happened to be in favor of this action, he was a bad apple that had gained great power in honduras by giving out money to politicians and especially to the poor, blood money that is. He was very smart to use the poor and defenseless while he destroyed many lives thru drugs. What better way to be the modern robinhood and shield himself with the poor.The poor didnt care where the money came from.
Please do not give me lessons on Democracy.
Getting back again to the"coup" In my opinion the military
may have acted lawfully wrong and gave the world an excuse to use the word "coup".
Ok lets get back to Matta. Why didnt the USA just leave him to be tried by honduran justice? Now lets think a little here.
The poor liked him because he gave them money.The action by the USA was clearly illegal. You think the people would have just stood by and let this happen? Bloodshed maybe, most likely but we will never know because it did not happen for the simple reason he was put on a plane a taken out the country.
Now lets get back to Zelaya and the military action. Can you see the similarity And why they took this course of action.

Denis Barjum 4:41PM July 15, 2009

How does United States not support Honduras for upholding democracy?
What happens the next time a country needs to throw out a lawbreaking dictator that is being financd by Chavez? How will they be able to uphold democracy if they dont know wht side of the fence Obama is on?
--------------------------------
Any country confused about "what side of the fence Obama is on" only has to read the U.S. CONSTITUTION and the UN charter. Last time I checked, military thugs kidnapping a president at gunpoint was NOT part of democracy. Facists, communists, and military governments on the other hand DO approve as well as carry out such methods.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
Democracies DON'T follow the: by any means necceassry rule.
Democracies DON'T follow the: the ends justify the means rule.
Again, the problem we seem to be having is more and more Americans DON'T really know what a REAL democracy is and seem to not understand the rule of law. The U.S. education system is going down the tubes and/or more Americans need a refresher course in U.S. government !

TorryNez of AZ 5:06AM July 13, 2009

I find it interesting that EVERY civilized government form Europe to Asia does NOT support the military coup in Honduras. Not even ONE country or government is coming to their aide. Furthermore, I find it interesting that honduras specifically removed IMPEACHMENT from their constitution! Guess what, this country is NOT a democracy. Military thugs kidnapping a president at gunpoint in the middle of the night and flying him out of the country is NOT part of ANY real DEMOCRATIC government. They are no different than Castro of Chavez.
If honduras was REALLY afraid that their president was going to do something bad, arrest him and put him in jail. Then place him on trial. Kidnapping in the middle of the night is something that an uncivilized thug would do. No Longer Honduras remains at the bottle of the list in development.
President Zelaya on his part is not very smart. He should fly back home and ALLOW himself to be arrested. It makes him an automatic victim for his people to rally behind and they can stage protests at his location. Besides his wife (and his kids, if he has any), are still back in Honduras. I'm shocked that the new Honduran government hasn't tried to kill her (them) by now!

Bethann of FL 4:49AM July 13, 2009

Yes he was clearly removed legally.
Yes was not due process to remove from che country, but doing so saved lives. The military had a clear understanding of the Chavez playbook.
How does United States not support Honduras for upholding democracy?
What happens the next time a country needs to throw out a lawbreaking dictator that is being financd by Chavez? How will they be able to uphold democracy if they dont know wht side of the fence Obama is on?
Demanding Zelaya be returned to office send a very scary message to the rest of the worlds leaders. Are we going to allow leaders of countries to be above there own couintries laws?

andy of FL 5:42PM July 12, 2009

Yes he was clearly removed legally.
Yes was not due process to remove from che country, but doing so saved lives. The military had a clear understanding of the Chavez playbook.
How does United States not support Honduras for upholding democracy?
What happens the next time a country needs to throw out a lawbreaking dictator that is being financd by Chavez? How will they be able to uphold democracy if they dont know wht side of the fence Obama is on?
Demanding Zelaya be returned to office send a very scary message to the rest of the worlds leaders. Are we going to allow leaders of countries to be above there own couintries laws?

andy of FL 5:41PM July 12, 2009

No way Conrad, YOU & Castro, Obama ,Chavez & Zeyala are on the wrong side of history.

Brendan of MA 4:27PM July 11, 2009

July 8th, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen hosted a private meeting for her Republican colleagues with former Honduran President Ricardo Maduro and former Costa Rican Ambassador to the U.S. Jaime Daremblum.
According to the invitation, “President Maduro will help to outline the sequence of events leading to the shift in power in Honduras and removal of Manuel Zelaya; provide insight into Honduran constitutional authorities; and discuss how the U.S. can now work to support the democratic institutions and rule of law in Honduras.”

tripletango of TX 11:37PM July 10, 2009

Next you will try to argue that assasinations are legal! Give it up: This gang seizing power in Honduras will never be accepted by the international community.
I hope the UN sends in the troops and arrests these coup leaders (ie criminals) under international law. Actions like this are an embarassment to all civilized people in the Americas.

Conrad Thompson 5:53PM July 10, 2009

Clearly, President Zelaya VIOLATED Article 239 of the Honduran constitution, and HE WAS REMOVED IMMEDIATELY as stated in article 239..http://www.honduras.net/honduras_constitution2.html
Next, Article 242 clearly states that if he is Removed, then the Head of the Congreso Nacional is to finish his term. Feel free to use a Translator to translate, but I find they don't translate Spanish to English that good.

Russell Morgan of LA 5:22PM July 10, 2009