Thursday, October 29, 2009
A Change in Tone
I've noticed lately that many news organizations are now referring to Pres. Micheletti as 'interim' leader instead of 'de facto' leader. 'De facto' is defined as 'existing in fact, whether with lawful authority or not', while 'interim' is defined as 'temporary or transitional'. While this is all semantics, I find the use of the word 'interim' to be more accurate and also more positive. The shift to the new adjective has been subtle, but I believe significant in that it reflects a more realistic view by the media...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Have Zelaya and Allies Launched a 'Dirty' War?
Alfredo Jalil, 81, father of Honduras' Deputy Defense Minister was kidnapped on Tuesday in Tegucigalpa. This past Monday, the body of interim President Micheletti's nephew was found in some woods in Choloma. He had been killed execution style. On Sunday, a colonel of the Armed Forces was murdered in front of his home in Tegucigalpa.
Coincidences? Alfredo's wife, Gloria Mejia publicly blamed paramilitaries of Venezuela, Nicaragua or El Salvador that might be involved. I'm sure these attacks will not go unanswered.
Has Meloco and company started a 'dirty' war? Are they trying to instigate a civil war?
If restored to power, Meloco would only have three months to serve, so what would be the purpose of trying to destablize the country and foment violence? The only explanation would seem to be that if he succeeds in regaining power, he has no plans to leave office in only three months.
Coincidences? Alfredo's wife, Gloria Mejia publicly blamed paramilitaries of Venezuela, Nicaragua or El Salvador that might be involved. I'm sure these attacks will not go unanswered.
Has Meloco and company started a 'dirty' war? Are they trying to instigate a civil war?
If restored to power, Meloco would only have three months to serve, so what would be the purpose of trying to destablize the country and foment violence? The only explanation would seem to be that if he succeeds in regaining power, he has no plans to leave office in only three months.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Honduran Crime Rate Under Meloco
According to an AP report yesterday ("Nephew of Honduran interim president shot dead"), "Honduras has the highest homicide rate in Central America,...Some 7,235 people in the country of 7.7 million were killed in 2008, a 25 percent surge from 2007." And guess who was president at the time? Yes, you guessed it...Mel Zelaya was president and this sickening statistic was happening under his watch.
What did Comandante Cowboy do about the spiraling crime rate? Nothing as far as I know...He was too busy travelling and enjoying being president to care about the destruction of Honduran civil society...
What did Comandante Cowboy do about the spiraling crime rate? Nothing as far as I know...He was too busy travelling and enjoying being president to care about the destruction of Honduran civil society...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ortega, President for Life
Now that Nicaragua's Supreme Court has ruled that Daniel Ortega can run for re-election in violation of that country's constitution, what will be the world's reaction? Specifically, the Sandinista appointed court determined that the constitutional ban on re-election was 'unenforceable'.
A predictable reaction on the part of the US State Dept.... It will aggressively seek to give the justices 10 year tourist visas to the USA (and maybe platinum American Express cards courtesy of the American taxpayers).
A predictable reaction on the part of the US State Dept.... It will aggressively seek to give the justices 10 year tourist visas to the USA (and maybe platinum American Express cards courtesy of the American taxpayers).
Monday, October 19, 2009
Crying 'Wolf''
I've been out of the country for the past three weeks, so I've neglected this blog during my absence.
As I was travelling, one thing that kept bugging me was the State Department's 'travel advisory' issued on Honduras after the events of June 28. Honduras is just as safe a place to travel to now as it was prior to June 28 (probably safer), yet the USA government is discouraging Americans from travelling to Honduras. This seems particularly odd given that most Americans travel to Roatan in the Bay Islands or the Mayan Ruins in Copan. These two destinations are particularly safe and relatively secluded from the problems in the urban area (Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula).
Why would the US government issue a travel advisory when they know it is safe? The only possible reason is to discourage travel to Honduras for political reasons in order to pressure the tourist industry and to place economic hardship on the people employed in this sector. The problem with this is that Americans depend on these travel advisories when planning international trips, and if the travel advisories become political, they lose their credibility. Just like in the story about the shepard boy crying wolf, people will begin to ignore them. Then in some future 'very unsafe situation', the warnings may not be heeded and innocent lives may be lost.
It's a shame that our State Dept. is playing politics with a service that is supposed to be apolitical, and thereby threatening the lives of the very people these advisories were developed to protect.
As I was travelling, one thing that kept bugging me was the State Department's 'travel advisory' issued on Honduras after the events of June 28. Honduras is just as safe a place to travel to now as it was prior to June 28 (probably safer), yet the USA government is discouraging Americans from travelling to Honduras. This seems particularly odd given that most Americans travel to Roatan in the Bay Islands or the Mayan Ruins in Copan. These two destinations are particularly safe and relatively secluded from the problems in the urban area (Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula).
Why would the US government issue a travel advisory when they know it is safe? The only possible reason is to discourage travel to Honduras for political reasons in order to pressure the tourist industry and to place economic hardship on the people employed in this sector. The problem with this is that Americans depend on these travel advisories when planning international trips, and if the travel advisories become political, they lose their credibility. Just like in the story about the shepard boy crying wolf, people will begin to ignore them. Then in some future 'very unsafe situation', the warnings may not be heeded and innocent lives may be lost.
It's a shame that our State Dept. is playing politics with a service that is supposed to be apolitical, and thereby threatening the lives of the very people these advisories were developed to protect.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Congratulations Honduras!!!
Congratulations to Honduras for qualifying for the world cup!!!
Once again, Honduras is the little country that could...!!
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