An Open Letter to Senator Landrieu (D, LA)

Dear Senator Landrieu,

As you are probably aware, the New Orleans area has the largest Honduran population in the USA, so the current events in Honduras are of great interest to Louisiana. Personally, I'm an American citizen married to a Honduran woman and both of my children have dual nationality...

Unfortunately, I believe the Obama administration policy has been very misguided vis-a-vis the situation in Honduras today. The former president (Mel Zelaya) is a power hunger 'caudillo' wannabe who has no respect for democratic institutions including the Supreme Court and the Congress.

He ignored rulings of the court and bills passed by Congress. He encouraged class conflict, and the reputation of his government was one of extreme corruption and ineptitude. Crime was rampant and I had to always fear for my children's safety. (kidnapping for ransom became commonplace under Zelaya's rule, and they recently had begun kidnapping children attending bilingual schools). Poverty increased considerably under his regime while he misused scarce government funds for his own benefit.

While he should not have been exiled, the military was acting under orders of the Supreme Court when they removed him from office. Unfortunately, the Honduran Constitution does not provide for impeachment. Elections are scheduled for November and a new democratically elected president will take office in January 2010.

The current president, Pres. Michiletti, has been cracking down on public corruption and is proving an adept interim leader.

I have not seen or heard of any repression as reported in the international media. To the contrary, things seem very 'normal', and business goes on as usual. In fact, people seem optimistic about their future for the first time in the many years I have been traveling and residing in Honduras. People see the events of June 28 and the beginning of a brighter future for their nation and people.

I trust you will use your good offices to convince Pres. Obama and Sec. of State Clinton to change their current policy regarding Honduras and to embrace the positive changes in Honduras, or at least not to impede them.

If you take the opportunity to discuss this issue with the Honduran population in New Orleans, I'm sure that you will find that the majority shares this view.

Further, I hope and pray that you will use your position in the Senate to take a positive stand for Honduras's future. We do not want Honduras to become a Marxist state allied with Hugo Chavez rampant with corruption and crime. We do not want the return of Mel Zelaya.

I look forward to your response, thoughts and position on this issue which so clearly impacts thousands of New Orleans area residents.

With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies?

Over the years, the USA has constantly intervened in Honduran and Central American affairs in order to protect its interests without regard for the consequences on the local population. Whether the intervention was to support corrupt dictators, the US marines in Nicaragua, Bananaman Sam in Honduras, support of the overthrow of Arbenz in Guatemala, etc., etc., the US has always behaved as if it could act with impunity and total disregard of human dignity.

Obama promised to be different. He promised an end to US intervention, to let Latins handle their own affairs. Well, he lied...The USA is back to its old ways, trying to intervene in Honduras to impose a corrupt, self-declared Marxist with utter contempt for democratic institutions and norms onto the Honduran people. To make matters worse, in the name of democracy, the USA says it will not recognize a free and fair election in Honduras unless it is overseen by that same corrupt, anti-democratic government led by the discredited 'caudillo' wannabe Zelaya. (Talk about letting the fox guard the hen house.)

Personally, I don't understand the reason. Is it because it sets a bad precedent for a president to be bound by Supreme Court decisions? Does Obama somehow feel uncomfortable about presidential limits imposed by a constitution? Does the concept of 'checks and balances' make him nervous? Or is it simply that he wants Honduras to be a Marxist state allied with Chavez? Does this mean that Obama is a closet Marxist, but just won't admit it to the American people?

The reason really doesn't matter. What does matter is that it is time for Honduras to learn from this, and realize that America is not the friend it claims to be. It's time for Hondurans to understand that America's commitment to democracy is in name only. America likes to spread the perception that it believes in freedom, democracy, and human dignity. Americans like to believe this about themselves and their nation.

The fact of the matter is that this is only a perception... to be blunt, its bullshit. And its time for Hondurans to realize this.

Bravo to the brave and unbowed - Washington Times

Bravo to the brave and unbowed - Washington Times

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Op-Ed from From the Cato Institute, Sept. 8, 2009

What Principle is Guiding Obama’s Honduras Policy?

Posted by Juan Carlos Hidalgo

The Obama administration is threatening not to recognize the result of Honduras’ presidential election in late November unless Manuel Zelaya returns to the presidency beforehand.

The presidential poll was already scheduled prior to Zelaya’s (constitutional) removal from office last June. The candidates had already been selected by their parties through an open primary process. The current civilian interim president, Roberto Micheletti, is not running for office and plans to step down in January as stipulated by the Constitution. Both major presidential candidates supported the ouster of Zelaya. The political campaign is playing out in an orderly manner, and there’s a significant chance that the candidate from the opposition National Party will win the presidency. The independent Electoral Tribunal is overseeing the process.

And yet the U.S. Department of State is signaling that it won’t recognize the result of the poll in the name of defending Zelaya’s return to power. However, the administration’s defense of ousted leaders seems to have some caveats.

Last July, The Economist reported that Mauritania’s General Muhammad Ould Abdelaziz, the head of the military junta who led the coup that overthrew that country’s first democratically-elected president, got himself elected as civilian president after an election that the opposition called an “elected coup.” However, despite “a certain number of irregularities,” Washington recognizedAbdelaziz’s election as a reflection of the “will of the Mauritanian people” and stated its willingness to work with his government.

Why is it that the election in Mauritania—with its many blatant flaws—passed the Obama administration’s legitimacy litmus test but the one in Honduras already seems set to fail it? What foreign policy principle is the administration applying in Honduras? Certainly not respect for democracy or the rule of law, both of which Zelaya was trying to subvert when he was removed from office.

Mel Lived High on the Hog While the Poor Ate Rice and Beans

Honduras targets deposed leader over expenses

(AFP) – 2 days ago

TEGUCIGALPA — Honduras' de facto government attacked deposed President Manual Zelaya on Saturday for wasting six million dollars of public funds on horses, vacations and Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Government officials distributed a lengthy list of what they claimed were Zelaya's pet luxury items, including cash for the upkeep of his horses as well as airline tickets, jewelry, the use of a private helicopter, and his own top-of-the-range motorbike, local media reported.

In an audit of Zelaya's expenses by judicial authorities, the mustachioed leader -- who was ushered out of the country on June 28 in a military-backed coup -- also spent money on expensive wines renting high-end real estate.

"By next week the High Court of Auditors will provide a report on each part of the investigation, and whether a criminal prosecution is appropriate," said Renan Sagastume, the presiding judge for Honduras' Superior Court of Auditors.

U.S. support for ousted Honduran leader baffling

U.S. support for ousted Honduran leader baffling

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Pass That Joint to Me

Brazil suspended visa-free travel for Hondurans today. According to the BBC, "by blocking new visas for Hondurans, Brazil hopes 'to promote the immediate restoration of ... Zelaya to the functions to which the Honduran people elected him,' the country's foreign minsitry said in a statement."

What have they been smoking at the Brazilian foreign ministry? The Honduran people elected Mel as a right of center candidate, not as a firebrand socialist. Once Mel knew that his ideology had changed, if he had any ethics, he would have resigned. Mel broke his covenant with the Honduran people.

Honduras: A Truth Stranger Than Fiction?

Honduras: A Truth Stranger Than Fiction?

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Chavez: Commandante Cowboy Unlikely to Return to Office

Don Hugo is currently in Libya for a love fest with its great leader, Col. Qaddafi. Together they are celebrating 40 wonderful years of Libyan bliss and good karma under the colonel's altruistic leadership. Taking a few moments for a telephone call to Venezuelan television, Chavez admitted, "Regardless of whether Zelaya returns or not, and really, at this point, that's hard to imagine, Honduras will keep up the fight."

Thanks for the honesty and candor Hugo...

I guess when you say "Honduras will keep up the fight", you mean President Micheletti and the Honduran people will continue to resist the Zelayistas in the OAS.

Thanks again Hugo for being the bearer of such good tidings!!!

Commentary: Let people decide Honduras' future, sooner not later | McClatchy

Please click on the link below and read this excellent commentary. Feel free to discuss in the comment section.

Commentary: Let people decide Honduras' future, sooner not later | McClatchy

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Shopping is Good in Panama City

So the USA is suspending the issuance of visas in its consulate in Tegucigalpa...

Who needs Miami anyway?

While shopping might be good in Miami, it's just as good in Panama City...so if you were planning a shopping trip stateside, think outside the box and go to Panama instead...you'll be glad you did. It's a nice place...modern, safe, good restaurants, and excellent shopping!!

And while you're at it, buy that condo in Panama City...they're a better value for the money than Miami.

Bottom line, if the U.S. government wants to hurt ordinary people, don't let them do it. Vacation, wine, dine, shop, and invest elsewhere...Let them be the ones to suffer instead.

Impressions of Tegucigalpa

Below are excerpts from the blog Inside South America by Tyler Bridges, a journalist based in Caracas

Honduras: Tegucigalpa

I'm supposed to report on South America in this blog. But since I find myself reporting from Tegucigalpa this week, I thought I would extend the blog's boundaries as well.

I find Tegucigalpa to be an unlovely city. The setting is pretty, nestled in the hills. But there seems to have been too much U.S. influence in the city's development.

As with Houston and too many other U.S. cities, Tegucigalpa expanded without planning controls. Most of the downtown colonial buildings have been lost. The central square lacks harmony and is uninteresting, other than the cathedral.

And there are fast-food franchises everywhere: McDonald's, of course, but also Burger King, Popeyes, Subway, Quizmos, Little Caesars, Chili's, TGI Friday's, Applebee's, Dunkin' Donuts, Pizza Hut. There's even a Dunkin' Donuts directly across the street from the Casa Presidencial.

The best thing about Honduras that I've found in my short term here: the people. They are quite friendly.

Mel...o drama

There's an article in this month's 'Vocero' magazine, a bilingual, freebie publication that you pick up in coffee shops by Gaspar Vallecillo Molina entitled 'Mel...o drama. Su ultimo acto. Un teatro de lo Absurdo' (Mel...o drama. His last act. Theatre of the absurd).

I just like the name...'Mel...o drama'...so fitting and so aptly put.

BBC, Where Are You?

The homepage on my computer is BBC News. It's been my homepage for many years because the depth of their international coverage is much greater than the American news sites which tend to be extremely domestic oriented, or when they do cover international news, they tend to only cover areas such as Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Much to my dismay, the BBC's coverage of the crisis in Honduras has been extremely biased in favor of Comandante Cowboy and his followers. They have tended to report on every small protest involving Zelayalistas and portray them as brave victims while ignoring the tens of thousands of peaceful pro-government supporters.

So it comes as a great surprise that BBC didn't have a report on yesterday's demonstrations showing the random attack and burning of a bus (with people on board scrambling to get off) and the burning of a restaurant as well as other random destruction of property. Well, actually, it wasn't a demonstration or protest; it was riot. And, to make matters worse, many of the rioters were reportedly paid to participate, so it wasn't out of conviction. They are kinda like football (soccer) hooligans.

So what happened to your reporting BBC? Did your reporter just forget to file his report for the day or was it his day off? Or maybe, just maybe, the Zelayalistas didn't appear as sympathetic as you wanted (or needed)? Maybe their burning and violence didn't serve as good propaganda or garner support for the cause? Mr. BBC editor, please feel free to leave your comments in my comment section.

It's Only a Movie!

Reuters article

U.S. appears to soften support for Honduras's Zelaya

Wed Aug 5, 2009 2:52pm EDT

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. policy on Honduras' political crisis is not aimed at supporting any particular individual, the State Department said in a new letter that implied softening support for ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

The letter to Republican Senator Richard Lugar contained criticism of Zelaya, saying the left-leaning former leader had taken "provocative" actions ahead of his removal by the Honduran military on June 28.

The State Department also indicated severe U.S. economic sanctions were not being considered against the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti, which took over in Honduras after Zelaya removed from office.

"Our policy and strategy for engagement is not based on supporting any particular politician or individual. Rather, it is based on finding a resolution that best serves the Honduran people and their democratic aspirations," Richard Verma, the assistant secretary for legislative affairs, said in the letter.

"We have rejected calls for crippling economic sanctions and made clear that all states should seek to facilitate a solution without calls for violence and with respect for the principle of nonintervention," he said. The letter was dated Tuesday and obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama has condemned Zelaya's ouster, refused to recognize Micheletti, cut $16.5 million in military aid to Honduras and thrown his support behind the mediation efforts of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, whose proposals include Zelaya's reinstatement.

Last week the U.S. government announced it was revoking diplomatic visas for several members of Micheletti's administration.

REPUBLICAN THREAT

But the State Department letter, while "energetically" condemning Zelaya's ouster on June 28, noted that the coup had been preceded by a political conflict between Zelaya and other institutions inside Honduras.

"We also recognize that President Zelaya's insistence on undertaking provocative actions contributed to the polarization of Honduran society and led to a confrontation that unleashed the events that led to his removal," it said.

Zelaya was pushing for constitutional reforms that included changing term limits for presidents. His opponents accused him of trying to seek re-election, but he denies the allegation.

The Supreme Court ordered his arrest and the Honduran Congress later approved his ouster.

In the letter to Lugar, the State Department also indicated the Obama administration has still not made a definite decision as to whether Zelaya's ouster constituted a coup.

"We have suspended certain assistance as a policy matter pending an ongoing determination under U.S. law about the applicability of the provisions requiring termination of assistance in the event of a military coup."

Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had asked the government to explain its policy on the Honduran political crisis, warning that Senate confirmation may be delayed for a diplomatic nominee for Latin America without it.

The letter appeared to be a response to this request.

Because of U.S. support for Zelaya, conservative Republican Senator Jim DeMint has threatened to delay a Senate vote on the nomination of Arturo Valenzuela to be assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs.

DeMint welcomed the State Department letter but said the Obama administration had not gone far enough.

"I'm glad to see the State Department is finally beginning to walk back its support for Manuel Zelaya and admit that his 'provocative' actions were responsible for his removal," he said through a spokesman.

"These admissions are helpful, but what is necessary is for President Obama to end his support for Zelaya who broke the law and sought to become a Chavez-style dictator," DeMint said, referring to Venezuela's socialist president Hugo Chavez, an ally of Zelaya.

Some Good News!!!

According to a report in Reuters today, American support for Zelaya has softened. This is cause for drinking a six pack of Imperial because this means Comandante Cowboy will not be returning to Honduras as president. Without U.S. pressure or sanctions, Mel doesn't have a chance on his own (or with Chavez's and Otega's support) of a successful return. Although long past due, in a letter to Senator Richard Lugar, the U.S. finally admits that much of Zelaya's problems were of his own making and that the U.S. doesn't have any intention of imposing crippling sanctions.

I'm sure Comandante Cowboy has already read the article or heard the news, so he must going into severe depression now. (It's time to get on the prozac, Mel).

Sweet dreams, Mel.

Three cheers and hip, hip hooray!!!

Also, my public thanks to Senators Mack and DeMint for their support of Honduran democracy.

Please read the article at: www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSTRE5744L120090805

Graffiti, a Sign of the Times

My wife returned to Honduras yesterday after spending a wonderful summer with me here in New Orleans. She hasn't had the time to get out and about in Tegucigalpa since her return, but she did make one observation en route from the airport to home: Tegucigalpa is now full of pro-Zelaya graffiti. Every possible wall seems to have been defaced...so I guess the spray paint merchants are doing a good business.

Take a Stand Columbia

The Chavez axis with Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Bolivia has led to very rocky relations with Columbia. Recently, Venezuela has been accused of supplying anti-tank rocket-launchers to Farc rebels, and Mr. Chavez has frozen diplomatic relations with Columbia as a result. Ecuador has not had diplomatic relations with Columbia since March 2008 when the Columbian air force bombed a Farc camp just inside Ecuador. Nicaragua has had a soverignty dispute with Columbia over some Caribbean islands for some time.

All this diplomatic rancor has led to economic consequences for Columbia. Ecuador has imposed tariffs on Columbian goods and Chavez is threatening to do the same. (Please see BBC News article "Columbia's Rocky Regional Relations", dated July 30, 2009).

Wouldn't this be a good time for Columbian President Alvaro Uribe to strike a blow at the Chavez axis by recognizing the new anti-Chavez government in Honduras? Come on Mr. Uribe, take a stand for democracy: Recognize the Honduran Government.

Menage a trois

How do you say 'menage a trois' in Spanish?

Two Thumbs Up

Saturday night is movie night!

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Recent Action in Costa Rica

Don Godo has been able to obtain behind the scenes footage of the recent action in San Jose.  Steamy stuff...No wonder Xiomara stayed in Teguz...!!!  

Honduras Libre

As everyone knows, a 'Cuba Libre' is a cocktail consisting of rum and coke with a twist of lime. But that's Cuba's drink. From now on, I intend to celebrate Honduras' liberation every June 28, but need an appropriate 'Honduran' drink.

So I would like for all readers of this blog to submit suggestions in the comment section for concocting the perfect 'Honduras Libre' drink. My suggestion is that it should be rum based, since rum already seems to be the unofficial drink of Central America and the Caribbean. Also, since Honduras is rich in fruits, maybe some native type of fruit would be an essential compliment.

I look forward to your suggestions (and to trying out the various concoctions!!)

"Venezuela Mulls Tough Media Law"

The above is the title from a news article from BBC today. It further states "A tough new media law, under which journalists could be imprisoned for publishing 'harmful' material, has been proposed in Venezuela.

Journalists could face up to four years in prison for publishing material deemed to harm state stability."

Just a look into my 'crystal ball' regarding Honduras' future if Chavez and Comandante Cowboy have their way...

More Companies That I Will Boycott

Addidas Group, Nike Inc., and Gap Inc. issued a joint letter this week asking for the "restoration of democracy in Hondudras". Are their collective heads in the ground since this already happened on June 28? Whatever their reasons are for siding with Comandante Cowboy Zelaya, I will no longer patronize their brands. It should be noted that in the case of Gap, this includes Banana Republic and Old Navy.

I hope others of similiar views to my own will join with me and no longer buy or shop at their stores or buy any of their brands.

I want to stress that other companies with manufacturing operations in Honduras have not taken a political stance and have not aligned themselves with Zelaya. These companies include Gilden, Hanes, and Russell Athletic.

Is There Love in the Air Between Barack and Comandante Cowboy?

The U.S. government still insists that Mel Zelaya be allowed to return to Honduras and resume the Presidency. Yesterday, to show they mean business, the US State Dept. cancelled the visas of four government officials and their families. (Ouch, Hillary must not know that shopping is just as good in Panama City as it is in Miami).

But what does this say about America, it's government, and it's policies? Given that Article 239 of the Honduran constitution states that any president who so much as proposes the permissibility of reelection "shall cease forthwith" in his duties, the US position seems to show contempt for constitutionality and the rule of law. In this case, the US seeks to impose a president on Honduras who is forbidden by Honduras' constitution from serving in that capacity.

Why such a disregard for Honduras' constitution? Is it because the US has an air of arrogance and considers it a 'third world' document not worthy of the paper it is printed on? Has Chavez somehow cast a 'spell' on Obama and Hillary? Are they willing to sacrifice Honduras to appease Chavez? Since the US can't push Iran around, does it want to prove something to itself by bullying poor, helpless Honduras?

Questions to ponder...

It's Time for Comandante Cowboy to Reinvent Himself (Please!)

At some point I trust Comandante Cowboy will get the message that he is not exactly popular in Honduras and that his support is anything but overwhelming. A few hints Mel... Raul Castro did not mention Honduras in a major speech this weekend...There are no throngs of supporters at the border eagerly anticipating your return (weren't you surprised?)... Hillary is irritated by your style and considers your behavior 'rash'... Four weeks have passed and the world is beginning to forget about you (Oh, not everyone has forgotten about you, the magistrates that have a warrant for your arrest are still thinking of you)...Your theatrics are beginning to seem like worn out re-runs of a bad t.v. show.

So, maybe it's time for you to reinvent yourself... and I think I have the perfect role for you (unless it 20 years behind bars as a wife to a 'salvatrucha 18' gang member)...

I'm old enough to remember the commercials for the Marlboro Man, so I was thinking that since you love the limelight, maybe you could become the 'Belmont Man'. I can see it now... You on a donkey, slowly descending a mountainside in Nicaragua, with a Belmont dangling from your mouth. You could be in every glossy in Central America!! The girls would adore you!

Boycott Citgo

Given Venezuela's interference in Honduran affairs, I have resolved never to buy gas at any Citgo station in the future.  I refuse to patronize a company who's profits go to the Venezuelan state and are at the disposal of the Chavez regime to manipulate and control Honduras.

I trust other Americans that support Honduras' struggle to maintain democracy and constitutionality will join with me and refuse to purchase any product at a Citgo station.

Op-Ed from Los Angeles Times, July 18, 2009

OPINION

The Honduran coup that wasn't

Despite howls by organizations that should know better, the nation's president legally removed himself from office by trying to alter the Constitution. The military just helped him out the door.

By William Ratliff 
July 18, 2009

We have heard a lot about Honduras lately, but there is much more at issue than the nighttime removal of President Manuel Zelaya on June 28 and its aftermath. The far bigger story is the disgrace of the world's major international political and economic organizations. 

The Organization of American States and its ambitious leader, Jose Miguel Insulza, took the lead in dealing with the crisis. The OAS gave the new de facto Honduran government three days to restore Zelaya or suffer suspension from the organization. Tegucigalpa responded by quitting first. 

But the OAS, the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and others were all shooting from the hip into the dark. These leaders had nothing to inform their decisions but fuzzy idealism, ideological prejudices, assorteself-interests and profound ignorance of realities on the ground in Honduras.

But that was good enough for them. Insulza rejected conversations among contending parties in favor of macho confrontation, ultimatums and polarization, to the cheers of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other Chavistas. To their great shame, every OAS member-nation went along with Insulza. The OAS is indeed the Organization of American Sheep.

The Obama administration kept a low profile while setting up talks between the two sides, mediated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. The talks themselves -- as well as the U.S. focus on mediation rather than just confrontation -- brought howls of rage from Chavez.

The OAS declaimed its eternal rejection of the "anti-democratic," "anti-constitutional" "military coup" by the new government. But it was Zelaya who was in the wrong. The OAS diplomats can't have it both ways -- professing their unshakable dedication to national constitutions and the rule of law even as they militantly make a hero of a country's No. 1 lawbreaker. 

What didn't the OAS, the U.N. and other leaders know that before ordering Hondurans around? As Honduran lawyer Octavio Sanchez pointed out in the Christian Science Monitor, when Zelaya issued a decree ordering a referendum on changing presidential terms, he "triggered a constitutional provision that automatically removed him from office." (Google the Honduran Constitution and read it for yourself -- Article 239.) Zelaya had ousted himself, so impeachment was unnecessary. 

So it was quite legal for the military to remove Zelaya, though the nighttime act gave an impression of a military coup to outsiders. 

It is Zelaya, Insulza, Chavez, the U.N. and all the OAS member-states who are playing at banana republic politics, not the government in Tegucigalpa. 

William Ratliff is a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and the Independent Institute.

 

Mel, the Media Darling

Over the past few weeks, I've often wondered why has Mel become the media's darling 'du jour'? Is it because of his democratic credentials? He won a democratic election after all...but then I know that he has total disdain for democratic institutions and feels that a president can ignore the Supreme Court, Congress, the Constitution; and rule by decree instead. So this can't be it. Is it because of his charisma? What charisma? He doesn't even sing well...

Is it because of his comical 'quirks', shutting down main streets in the capital so he can ride his Harley? (Just what the traffic congested capital always needed on a busy day). Maybe it's because of his equestrian skills, riding donkeys and horses into small villages? (I guess the campesinos had a good laugh). Is it because of his cosmopolitan style, travelling all over the world when he was president of a small, poor country with a large entourage of family and friends? (That was always a good use of scarce public resources).

Is it because of his frugal nature, spending $80,000.00 in five days on his government credit card? Could it be because of his no-nonsense approach to public corruption, appointing the most corrupt people he could find to the highest positions possible? Or maybe it's his 'socialists' credentials, earned after imitating Chavez's rhetoric...(but then everyone knows he's not 'truly' a socialist, he's merely an opportunist and charlatan). Is it because he's a cute, cuddly wannabe 'caudillo', cut down to size, and they feel sorry and pity for him? Is it because of his ever increasing desperation so evident in his daily tirades? No, I just don't think these things are it...

Oh, I think I finally figured it out...It's because of his 'Stetson'? So stupid of me not to have known all along... The media must somehow find it heartwarming to see a confirmed anti-gringo adopting this so very American symbol as his own. There you have it...an anti-cowboy cowboy!! How cute indeed!

Ponderings

1- If the events of June 28, 2009 were indeed a 'coup', (I'm of the school that disagrees with that assertion, and prefers to look at those events as a 'restoration of constitutionality'), then it was one of the world's first 'velvet' coups: both bloodless and popular.

2- Given Mel's anti-American rhetoric and policies, why did his wife and son seek refuge at the American embassy and later at the American ambassador's home? Wouldn't the Venezuelan or Ecuadorian embassy have been a better sanctuary? Wouldn't they have felt more secure and blissful there?

3- If the negotiations in Costa Rica lead to Mel's return to Honduras, will he come back with his 'feathers plucked'. By this, I mean will he come back strictly as a figurehead without any powers? If so, this might not necessarily be a bad thing as this would a humiliation for him. It would actually be nice to see him transform from a 'bull' to a 'steer'.

4- And, related to no. 3, what about the criminal charges that have been filed against Mel? Will he return to Honduras to face indictment? I don't think he would agree to that option. Will amnesty be granted? That would be an insult to the Honduran people that endured his corrupt rule for way too long. If Mel were granted amnesty, what about his family? His son has also been linked to corruption and the drug trade. Will Mel return only to see his son thrown into jail?

5- This leads me to thinking about corruption in general. The new government has already made strides against corruption (arresting Chimirri, etc.) This was way past due. But will it continue? Or was it strictly 'window dressing'? Has the new government begun a new paradigm in Honduran civil and political society that will endure? Or ironically, will the end result of the Costa Rican negotiations be a return to 'business as usual'?

6- I still have not heard any criticisms from the OAS nor any explanations for its failure to act regarding Mel's illegal behaviour towards Honduran Supreme Court rulings and Honduran Congressional acts? Why are they ignoring Mel's unconstitutional, power grabbing actions? I have the same question for the world media. Did it ever occur to them that the very reason the Honduran Constitution is inflexible in its limitation to one term only for a president is to prevent power hungry would-be despots (like Mel) from continuing in power?

7- I consider the unfortunate death of a demonstrator this past Sunday to be blood on Mel's hands. He knew and even encouraged mob behavior in order to stroke his inexhaustible ego. Against all advice, (including the Cardinal's warning of possible bloodshed), he insisted on his 'airshow'. This unfortunate death would have been avoided except for Mel's actions. At the very least, it's misfeasance on Mel's part.

8- The U.S. ambassador has already commented on the use of the word 'negrito', and an apology has been issued. But I'm still wondering whether Obama actually knew where Tegucigalpa was before June 28 or not? Do I hear silence on the part of the US government? Maybe this is reason enough to reinstate geography classes in elementary schools. Maybe free subscriptions to National Geographic should have been a part of the stimulus bill.

The Best Picture from a Peace Rally in Honduras

"Honduras is an example for the world.  We don't have petroleum nor dollars, but we have balls"

Op-Ed from Forbes, July 6, 2009

The Audacity Of Honduras

Roger Noriega, 07.06.09, 03:11 PM EDT

As the OAS stumbles, give diplomacy a chance.

On Sunday, July 5, Honduran authorities rejected the ultimatum issued by the Organization of American States (OAS) to reinstate ousted president Manuel Zelaya. Shortly after, the defiant government was suspended from the regional body. This impasse does not reflect a failure of diplomacy, but exposes a lack of it.

In the past week, most objective observers conceded that Zelaya's aggression against Honduran Congress and Courts coupled with his willful violations of the Honduran constitution spawned this crisis. An international chorus questions the legality of Zelaya's ouster. Since I am unschooled in Honduran law, I am forced to rely on the unanimous decisions of the independent Supreme Court blessing Zelaya's replacement.

Common sense is useful here too: If a traffic cop roughs up a drunk driver at the scene of an injury accident, I doubt anyone would argue the importance of getting the drunk back behind the wheel as the best way to chastise the policeman.

The international community is so fixated on the car wreck that they have failed to notice that Hondurans have put their own legal house in order. Although the duty fell to the military to enforce a court order against Zelaya, no soldier ever held power. The duly constituted Congress--about half of whose members are from Zelaya's own Liberal Party--reviewed Zelaya's crimes and voted almost unanimously to remove him from office. Respecting the constitutional order of succession, the Congress elected its own president, Liberal Roberto Micheletti, as Zelaya's replacement. Micheletti has pledged to turn over power next January to a successor chosen in this November's regularly scheduled elections--a pledge that the democratic paragon Zelaya was unwilling to make.

While Honduran authorities have opened an inquiry into Zelaya's treatment, the Supreme Court has held its position that the military acted properly. Zelaya has been indicted on many crimes--including treason--and some of his associates with ties to corruption and drug trafficking are finally facing justice.

Hondurans are convinced that Chavez's puppetry at the OAS abetted Zelaya's illegal campaign for re-election and is now driving the rush to judgment and calls for Zelaya's return. Chavez's media outlets are whipping up internal mobs, and he has even threatened military action against Honduras to back up his demands. Astonishingly, neither the U.S. nor the OAS has called upon the Venezuelan bully to temper his rhetoric. In any case, his comments have merely served to stiffen Honduran resistance to Zelaya's return.

The credibility of the OAS and of its Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, is shot. The organization's refusal over the last few months to review Zelaya's provocative actions is a failure to use the graduated approach dictated by the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which was designed precisely to defuse crises. By contrast, its zealous rush to judgment after Zelaya's ouster bypassed the process of study and reflection called for under the Democratic Charter.

But Honduras is hardly an isolated example of the OAS's abject failure. For months, it has ignored Chavez's aggressive maneuvers to deny Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma the ability to assume the office he won last November; this weekend, Ledezma began a hunger strike in the OAS office in Venezuela to dramatize the group's hypocrisy. Insulza and the OAS have done nothing to confront the stealing of dozens of mayoral races in Nicaragua (including in the capital city of Managua) last fall. And the OAS has turned a blind eye to the aggressive measures deployed by Chavez himself as well as his allies in Bolivia and Ecuador running roughshod over government institutions, media critics and political opponents.

Insulza's unyielding defense of Zelaya and his lethargy where political rights are being trampled in a half a dozen other countries have only one thing in common: That's the way Chavez wants it.

With the OAS's leadership so thoroughly disgraced, individual governments must step forward to forge a diplomatic approach to protect the rights and freedoms of all Hondurans. A "Friends of Honduras" group could support a national dialogue or help accompany a review of Zelaya's alleged crimes and subsequent ouster. Presidential elections held in November or earlier could be monitored by the U.N. or by other independent observers. Individual nations must be counseled to cease their threats against Honduras and to stop meddling in its internal affairs.

Canada's foreign minister, Peter Kent, has been willing to speak good sense in this case, and his country is one of the few in the region that has the independence and heft to do what is right for Honduran democracy and not necessarily what Hugo Chavez dictates.

Honduras: the Little Giant

I'm just wondering whether Honduras is more like David in the biblical story of David and Goliath, or more like Thomas, 'the little engine that could'?

Mel and the Cartels? Hmmm

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Thursday, July 02, 2009 4:20 PM PT

The Hemisphere: A Honduran official has warned that deposed President Mel Zelaya was in league with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez to ship drugs to the U.S. If true, can this really be the man the U.S. wants back in power?

Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez dropped a bombshell last week when he said Zelaya, the president who was thrown out by a constitutional process June 28 after defying the law, had a little side business with the Caracas caudillo allowing cocaine to roll into Honduras from Venezuela before heading to the U.S.

"Every night, three or four Venezuelan-registered planes land without the permission of appropriate authorities and bring thousands of pounds . . . and packages of money that are the fruit of drug trafficking," Ortez told CNN En Espanol. "We have proof of all of this. Neighboring governments have it. The DEA has it."

If Ortiz is right, the U.S. effort to restore Zelaya to power would be suicidal for U.S. efforts to destroy drug organizations south of our border. It would undercut Mexico's and Colombia's savage drug wars and give drug lords such as the Sinaloa cartel's Shorty Guzman, who has bases in Honduras, reason to strengthen operations.

It also means the U.S. must start asking questions about Chavez's role in the drug trade now that U.S.-Venezuelan diplomatic ties are being restored. Right now, it's such a hot potato that nobody in either the State Department or the Drug Enforcement Administration wants to comment on it.

Zelaya's return would put the U.S. in a dilemma. The U.S. has gone along with the Chavez-led global consensus denouncing Zelaya's exit as a coup d'etat and condemning the current Honduran government. But that position means the U.S. would have to cut off a $43 million aid package to Honduras that includes drug-fighting.

This is why the legal definition of "coup" is so touchy.U.S. policymakers are stalling about labeling Zelaya's removal as such — though hotheads in the Obama administration, such as U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, don't hesitate to use the term.

It also would represent a sorry retreat on current policy.

In 1989, the U.S. took out Manuel Noriega in a military operation over his ties to the Medellin cartel. In 1994, the U.S. cut off aid to Colombia when its new president, Ernesto Samper, was caught on tape with the kingpins of the Cali cartel and taking their cash.

Restoring Zelaya and then pretending the drug war can be won would be a travesty, harming the interests of the U.S. and all the battered nations fighting drugs alongside us.

Ortez's warning lacks detail. But it does describe the well-known problem of traffickers using Central American countries as transshipment points for drugs. This has gotten worse since Zelaya made his alliance with Chavez two years ago.

The aircraft landings, many of which become known after they've crashed with multiton shipments — cannot happen without the president of a small country knowing about them.

The recent high-profile murder of an attorney investigating money-laundering in Guatemala highlighted the problem of corruption extending all the way to the president of that country. Before he was shot dead in the street, Rodrigo Rosenberg videotaped testimony calling Guatemala's president his murderer and said the motive was to cover up the drug-linked corruption he was probing.

This same drug onslaught has slammed Honduras with crime and corruption. The country now has the highest murder rate in the hemisphere, with 4,000 dead in 2008.

It's a fact that the crime has gotten worse under Zelaya, whose commitment to the war on drugs is weak. The leftist demagogue's call to legalize drugs last October didn't come out of some principled libertarian impulse.

If Zelaya is behind Honduras' drug problems, then he can't be allowed back into the country. An international investigation must be undertaken, and Honduras must provide information.

If Zelaya is found to be in league with Chavez on drugs, then the quarrel over whether or not he was removed in a coup becomes a small matter. Then the only place for this former dictator is a jail cell, the same as Noriega got.

Preventing a Honduran Bloodbath

The following is an op-ed that from The Washington Post, July 3, 2009 by Carlos Alberto Montaner

Preventing a Honduran Bloodbath

The United States Ambassador to Honduras, Hugo Llorens, an extremely competent diplomat, tried very hard to keep Honduras's Congress from ousting President Manuel Zelaya. After his arguments and pressures were exhausted, and faced with something that seemed inevitable, he did what he could: he sheltered the president's son at his residence to save him from any violent outcome.

Fortunately, Zelaya's expulsion from the presidency and from his country was bloodless. It wasn't exactly a military coup: the Army acted on orders from the Supreme Court after Zelaya's continued violations of the law. The ousted president seemed intent on getting reelected, even if it meant violating the Constitution, and on dragging the nation into Hugo Chávez's "21st century socialism" camp against the will of the Honduran people.

Nevertheless, if there is still something worse than the depressing spectacle of a freely elected president forced to leave his country at gunpoint, it is that same leader trying to force his way back in. If Zelaya returns, he will be arrested and charged with an array of crimes. His imprisonment will embarrass any who decide, irresponsibly, to accompany him on such a mad adventure.

This is most grave. Hugo Chávez and Daniel Ortega are already talking about invasions and resorting to force. That could unleash a bloodbath and would certainly destroy the weak political institutions that Honduras labored to achieve three decades ago, when the era of military dictatorships mercifully ended. Peter Hakim, president of Inter-American Dialogue, put it this way: "Zelaya is fighting with all the institutions in the country. He is in no condition really to govern."

And that's the truth. According to Mexican pollster Mitofsky's April survey, Zelaya was Latin America's least popular leader. Only 25 percent of the nation supported him. Another survey found that 67 percent of Hondurans would never vote for him again. Why? Because the Hondurans attributed to him a deep level of corruption; because they assumed he had links to drug trafficking, especially drugs originating in Venezuela, as former U.S. Ambassador to the O.A.S. Roger Noriega revealed in a well-documented article published in his blog; and because violence and poverty -- the nation's two worst scourges -- have increased dramatically during his three years in power.

Simply put, a huge majority of the country -- including the two major political parties (including Zelaya's), the Christian churches, the other branches of government and the armed forces -- do not want him as president. All agreed that he should finish his mandate and leave power in January 2010, but no one wanted him to break the law to keep himself in the presidency. Hugo Chávez has already done that, and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega, Bolivia's Evo Morales and probably Ecuador's Rafael Correa are also trying to do the same. The Hondurans, without question, do not want to go down the path of Hugo Chavez's collectivist and anti-Western "caudillismo," allied to Iran, Cuba and North Korea.

What to do under these circumstances? The worst idea is to resort to force. The government of interim President Roberto Micheletti already is summoning reservists and the Army is preparing to defend the nation's sovereignty. The nationalist discourse is heating up with talk of "defense of the motherland" against foreign enemies. They worry about foreign aggression, shrewdly propelled by Chavez and his crew, in which -- inexplicably this time -- the Americans have sided with the enemies of democracy and the rule of law.

If a conflict explodes, one of the Western hemisphere's poorest countries will suffer the bloodletting that Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua experienced during the Cold War.

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.

That will be best for almost all parties in the conflict. Zelaya may lose the game, but Hondurans will not pay with their blood for the mistakes and misdemeanors of a maladroit ruler.

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Washington Times, July 1, 2009

Very True!

June 30

The Independent, London, on the ousting of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya:

The ousting of the Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the country's military at the weekend has been condemned by many members of the international community as an affront to democracy. But despite a natural distaste for any military coup, it is possible that the army might have actually done Honduran democracy a service.

President Zelaya was planning a referendum to give him power to alter the constitution. But the proposed alterations were perilously vague, with opponents accusing Mr. Zelaya of wanting to scrap the four-year presidential term limit. The country's courts and congress had called the vote illegal.

This is an increasingly familiar turn of events in emerging democracies: an elected leader, facing the end of his time in office, decides that the country cannot do without him and resorts to dubious measures to retain power. ...

Honduras underlines that free votes only count if accompanied by a confident parliament, an independent judiciary, an unfettered media and impartial electoral monitors. The true test of a democracy's health is not the holding of elections. It is the possibility of power peaceably changing hands.

Corruption and Mel Zelaya

Apart from his illegal grab for perpetual power, I haven't heard many comments in the international media regarding corruption in the Zelaya government which was alleged to have been rampant.

Shouldn't some of the media be investigating corruption at Hondutel and Zelaya's connection to Mr. Chimirri, or corruption at state owned ENEE during the past few years (that is a nice new building they have in Tegucigalpa, and I understand the rent is way above market rates), or maybe Zelaya's alleged connection to the international drug trade and drug cartels (Trujillo anyone)? What about rumors of drug use among his high officials?

Hmmm, maybe these would turn out to be as Al Gore so aptly put it, 'inconvenient truths'...

O'Grady Op-Ed in the Wall St. Journal

The best piece I have read about the current events in Honduras is entitled: "Honduras Defends its Democracy" by Mary Anastasia O'Grady. If you are concerned about the future of Honduras, please read this essay and distribute it as widely as possible.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623220955866301.html

Questions for Hillary

With regards to the recent events in Honduras, BBC News quoted Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, as saying, "It's important that we stand for the rule of law".

My questions for Hillary are: Why wasn't the United States standing for the rule of law when Mel Zelaya was blatantly ignoring rulings of the Honduran Supreme Court? What objections did the U.S. make when Mel insisted on carrying out his illegal referendum despite a Honduran constitution that requires this type of referendum to be authorized by the Honduran Congress? Why was the U.S. silent then? Does the rule of law only extend to some institutions, but not others? Does the U.S. government believe that the executive branch is exempt from the rule of law (hence Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair, etc), but other branches are obligated? Is a constitutionally mandated 'balance of powers' strictly a facade so that people will believe they live in a democracy, but the executive branch ('wink, wink') is not expected to abide by the law and has a 'carte blanche'?

Hillary, please leave your answers in my comment section.

June 28, 2009, The Day Honduran Democracy was Saved

Although a law enforcement action or arrest is not a preferred method of government change, I am grateful to the Honduran armed forces for their heroic intervention in a situation that promised to undermine the long term stability of the Honduras. Mel Zelaya, the EX-president, (and I'm glad to emphasize the ex), was threatening the very fabric of Honduran society. Not only did he fuel the flames of class division and allow crime to run rampant, he ran Honduras as if he were a modern day 'caudillo' or strongman.

Although he claimed to be a socialist, he was nothing more than an opportunist and charlatan. He surrounded himself with corrupt people, and as the saying goes, 'birds of a feather, flock together'. He had absolutely no respect for Honduran instutions and laws. He ignored rulings of the Supreme Court and legislation passed by the Congress. His efforts to change the Honduran constitution were nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to cling to power.

While some may criticize the events of June 28, 2009 as undemocratic, if Mel had been allowed to stay in power, Honduran democracy would have withered away in agony with Mel drinking its blood in vampirish glee.

Credit Cards

I admit that I'm one of those Gringos that hates to needlessly part with my hard-earned cash. Some people might think I'm a tightwad, but I prefer to think of myself as either frugal or thrifty.

One of the things that always irked me was the 3% transaction fee that American credit card companies charge on all purchases outside of the USA. So far, I've only been able to find three credit cards that do not charge this fee: cards issued by Capital One, Charles Schwab, and Discover.

While Discover cards are not widely accepted outside of the USA, they are accepted throughout Central America. So I got one and enjoyed using it during my trips to Honduras. Usually people looked at the card, and would ask what type of card is this? This made it even more fun to use. But no more...Discover started charging a 2% foreign transaction fee effective this month. So I'll retire it to my credit card cemetery in my dresser drawer.

Between Charles Schwab and Capital One, I prefer the Schwab card because in addition to not charging that pesky foreign transaction fee, it also pays me back 2% of total purchases. The Capital One card gives airline points, so I'll keep it for backup.

Low Expectations or Just No Expectations

Although I really love Honduras, and consider myself a 'Catracho' in my heart, there are many little things that just bug me. I've never really made a list of all of these things, but I know it would be pretty long. A couple of recent examples are:

1- My family and I recently went to one of the 'better' Chinese restaurants in Tegucigalpa. The table had been cleaned and we were seated. The place mats, however, were filthy. They had crumbs on them and caked on food and sauce. My wife pointed this out to the waitress. Her reaction?... She picked up a couple of them, slapped them together a couple of times, and put them back on the table. OK, the crumbs did fall off (probably on my wife's lap), but the caked on food was still pretty disgusting, so my wife took the place mats from the table and put them on the floor under a chair. The waitress seemed surprised by this, so my wife told her that we would rather have no place mats rather than dine on dirty ones.

2- For some reason, construction workers consider the street to be a part of their construction site, at least in residential neighborhoods. Construction debris litters the street during the entire construction of a house, which can sometimes be upwards of 1-2 years. There are piles of wood, dirt, and nails strewn everywhere. Usually, there will be a car parked directly opposite of all the debris making it virtually impossible to pass. Oh, did I say anything about getting flat tires from all the nails thrown onto the street? In the USA (and in other countries I'm sure), neighbors, neighborhood associations, and the municipal government would make the contractor's life hell if they did not regularly haul away the debris, but oh no, not in Honduras.

I've thought about all these things, and sometimes wonder if I'm being just a bit too knit-picky. Well, the more I think about it, I realize I'm not being too picky. Shouldn't place mats be clean in a restaurant? Shouldn't a contractor haul away his debris? These things happen in Honduras because the restaurant owner know people will still frequent his restaurant with the dirty place mats and not complain. The contractor knows that if you dare to complain about the debris, he will just say "Oh, I'll take care of that", knowing full well that he has no intention to, and the complainant knows he has no intention to. Things are just going to continue as they are, have always been, and always will be.

Why? Because Hondurans have low expectations or maybe, more precisely, no expectations

Off the Beaten Path- Cedros

On a recent trip to Honduras, my family and I visited the small village of Cedros.  It's only about an hour away from Tegucigalpa, in the direction of Olancho.  

It's an old mining town, dating back to the 16th century and still retains its charm, full of colonial buildings and cobblestone streets.  Reportedly, it was the first capital of Honduras, if even for just one day.  The first National Assembly met here, and then I guess they promptly moved the capital.  The church has been newly renovated with painstaking detail. 

All in all, it makes a pleasant excursion for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.  You can see the see the town and enjoy leisurely strolling in the streets all within 30 minutes.  Now wouldn't it be nice if they had a picturesque sidewalk cafe so you could linger for a while longer over a glass of Chilean  wine and tapas?

It's Finished!!!

We finally finished our house!! Well, if truth be told, it was finished a year ago, but I was lazy and stopped posting on my blog.

My wife and kids moved in over 'Semana Santa' last year. It was ready a couple of weeks before that, but they waited until Easter knowing that I would be there so that we could all spend the first night there together.

There are still a lot of details to be finished, but that takes time and more money. In the future, I'll list the companies that were good to work with, that did a good job, were reasonable and did their work on a timely basis or as promised. I'll also post a list of companies that we would never hire again.

Yes, I've already slapped myself on the wrist for being lazy and not posting.

Shame on Carrion

   A couple of weeks ago, I was in Tegucigalpa visiting my family. During a stroll in the Multiplaza Mall, I was shocked to see the display in one of Carrion's windows. There was a male mannequin wearing jeans and a tee-shirt, with a heavy chain in its hand. The display was an obvious glorification of violence and gang culture.

I don't know whether the display has been changed yet, but I hope people complained and pressured Carrion to remove it.

Violence and crime have reached levels that are totally out of control in Honduras, and threaten the very fabric of its society. I cannot understand why a large Honduran company would try to glorify this lifestyle in order to peddle a few extra pairs of jeans and tee shirts.

SHAME ON CARRION!!

Can Tegucigalpa make the 'big time'?

According to BBC, "The manufacturers of Monopoly (which, they claim, is the best-selling board game in the world) are holding an online poll to decide which cities should be in their forthcoming "World Edition" of the game."

Let's give Honduras and Tegucigalpa some worldwide exposure. Can Tegucigalpa make it on Monopoly? Can Tegucigalpa make the 'big time'? Go to www.monopolyworldvote.com and nominate Tegucigalpa and then vote for it. But please, hurry up, because there are only a few days left

Oh, by the way, you can vote daily...

Live in New Orleans-- Guillermo Anderson

This past Saturday, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation held its second annual 'Fiesta Latina'. Their was non-stop music from 11:00 A.M to 10:00 P.M. on two stages, as well as stands with crafts and food. It was a great time for all who attended. There was a stand with great Honduran food, and the Honduran consulate in New Orleans also had a stand promoting Honduran tourism.

All the bands were great. Of note, I particularly enjoyed Freddy Omar y su Banda. Freddy is originally from Tegucigalpa and is well known in the local New Orleans music scene.

But the highlight of the event was the opportunity to hear Guillermo Anderson. I had heard a lot about him. There is even a link on this blog site to his blog site (check it out!). But I must admit I was more favorably impressed than I had anticipated. His band really put on a great act...with music ranging from folk to Caribbean, even some Garifuna punta. The act was of international caliber.

Guillermo is a Ceibeno, and it really shows in his music. His sincerity and love for Honduras was reflected throughout the show.

If you ever have the opportunity to hear Guillermo and his band, I highly recommend it. If not, then buy one of his cd's, put on your dancing shoes and enjoy!

Did You Know?

Did you know that in Honduras, at least in Tegucigalpa, gas station attendants insist that you turn off your cell phone while they pump gas? Yes, that's right...if they see you talking on the phone, they insist you turn it off because they somehow believe the radio waves or frequency will ignite the gasoline and everything will explode.

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

The stable of franchise restaurants in Honduras keeps growing. Almost every imaginable American fast food, pizza and casual dining restuarant already has establishments in Honduras, so why not one more? During my recent visit to Tegucigalpa, I noticed that Chili's is the latest to join the pack. They had large advertisements in the local papers seeking job applicants. Supposedly, they need 250 employees. This is the good thing. Honduras needs jobs.

Now the bad thing, among the listed job requirements are being between the age of 18 and 35 years and excellent presentation. Yes, they want your photo along with the resume. So now I know that I don't qualify for a position as a dishwasher at Chili's. And, I'm disqualified on both counts- age and beauty. Well, I really didn't want that job anyway...At least there won't be any homely or average looking barmaids.

Unfortunately this type of blantant discrimination is not just commonplace in Honduras, it is totally acceptable and expected. However, since the Chili's franchisee has a large portfolio of various American fast food restaurants, I do find it reasonable to have higher expectations of their hiring practices.

Now for the ugly...Even if the local franchisee has no sense of ethics with regards to discrimination, the American franchisor, in this case Brinker International (think Chili's, Macaroni Grill, On the Border), should hold it's international franchisees to higher standards of non-discrimination. They expect international franchisees to meet corporate imposed levels of quality, consistancy, sanitation, etc., so why not impose franchise-wide policies of non-discrimination? (At least the franchisee should be tactful enough to avoid using Chili's logo in the job advertisements).

Now, as I step down from my soapbox, I am pleased to report that I did not eat at a single American franchise during my entire eight day visit, well, almost... I admit to having coffee at Espresso Americano, and we did go through the drive-thru at Pollo Campero...But that doesn't count because it's Guatemalan.

Getting There!!!

The end is in sight!!! Our house is almost finished. Below are some pictures so you can see our progress and maybe, even, share our exceitement...

Defying Silence in Honduras

A recent BBC News story reports that "Honduran journalist Dina Meza has won the @007 Amnesty International Special Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat". It is very 'eye-opening'. She has been investigating abuses by private security companies in Honduras. Her lawyer was murdered late last year, and the case is remains 'unsolved'. You may find her online magazine at: www.revistazo.com

Guillermo Anderson

For all music lovers, and especially lovers of Honduran culture, I have added a link to the website and blog of Guillermo Anderson, one of Honduras' most renowned and talented singers and performers.

The best time to visit Tegucigalpa

Without doubt, the best time to visit Tegucigalpa is during 'Semana Santa' or 'Holy Week'. I found this out during my recent trip to Central America as I spent Easter week in Tegucigalpa with my family.

It seemed that everyone had left town. There was virtually no traffic. I even used the opportunity to practice driving in the city. Normally, I'm too afraid to drive in Tegucigalpa because the traffic is so bad and nobody follows any traffic rules, so I take the coward's way out and let my wife do the driving (yes, I come from a long line of chickens).

The restaurants were more or less empty, so the waiters actually attempted to give better service than their normal shrug and contempt. The hotels were empty, so the rates were slashed. We stayed at the Marriott which normally has a weekday rate of $169.00 per night, but during 'Semana Santa' the rate was $69.00.

The people left in town somehow seemed more relaxed. It was like a lazy Sunday afternoon that lasted for an entire week. I think the criminals even took a holiday and went to 'la playa'.

Be careful when opening your door, you never know who's knocking

Recently, the door bell rang at my in-laws house, where my wife and children are currently living. There is an intercom system so my father in-law asked who it was. A man replied that he was there to deliver a package, that the package was from Miami. He asked my wife if she was expecting any delivery, she said no. They went to the upstairs window and looked out. There was a truck backed up to the gate, with no markings of any kind.

Fortunately, my father in-law is not the most trusting person, being an ex-colonel and now in the security business. He went back to the intercom and screamed with quite a few expletives, that they should leave immediately. He made it very clear in no uncertain terms, so the men jumped back into the cab of the truck and sped away.

Unfortunately, this type of crime happens all too often in Honduras. Criminals patrol neighborhoods, especially upper class ones, looking for someone coming out or in to their house. They then force their way in, holding the people hostage while they load up a truck or large van with everything of value.

The moral of the story: Be suspicious of everyone that rings your bell!

AWOL or MIA

In case anyone is wondering, I'm AWL (Absent with leave).

I was in Argentina for business for 10 days in March, returned to my office for a few days, then it was off to Central America for pleasure and business. I've been in Honduras for the past two weeks (business and pleasure) and was able to spend Semana Santa with my wife and kids. Today, I arrived in El Salvador (work), then off to Guatemala and Panama (both work). I'll be returning to what's left of the Crescent City in about two weeks. I promise to update my blog and follow up with the Honduras Living forum upon my return. Till then, I will slap my wrist daily...