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...!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Brazil will never be a leader of Latin America at this rate
According to 'The Economist' magazine article 'Zelaya swaps exile for embassy', dated Sept. 24, 2009, "Brazil has, in practice, granted diplomatic asylum to Mr. Zelaya (although its foreigh ministry said he was just a guest). This means that under the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Mr. Zelaya should abstain from political declarations."
But isn't this exactly what Meloco has been doing everyday since he arrived at the embassy? Yesterday he called on his followers to come to Tegucigalpa for the 'final offensive'. Brazil complains to the UN about harassment of its embassy, but at the same time it is not abiding by its own obligations under the above mentioned international treaty.
Talk about hypocracy...
But isn't this exactly what Meloco has been doing everyday since he arrived at the embassy? Yesterday he called on his followers to come to Tegucigalpa for the 'final offensive'. Brazil complains to the UN about harassment of its embassy, but at the same time it is not abiding by its own obligations under the above mentioned international treaty.
Talk about hypocracy...
Restitution the Right Way
While Meloco calls for restituiton to the presidency, I would encourage the Honduran government to impose a condition on Brazil that prior to any future normalization of relations between the two countries, Brazil would be required to pay restituiton and damages to Honduras for the destruction caused by Brazil's involvement in the recent events.
By allowing its embassy to be used as a base for Zelaya's calls for insurrection, many innocent people were harmed. Homes close to the embassy were invaded by Zelaya's thugs, businesses were looted, window were broken, a curfew had to be imposed nationwide (with damages to the national economy estimated at $50,000,000.00 per day), schools were closed so that innocent children were deprived of an education, and the government had to use scarce public resources for security operations close to and around the embassy that could have been used for better purposes.
All of this because Brazil wants to impose a 'caudillo' on Honduras. The Honduran government should tally all of the direct and indirect costs and present a bill to the Brazilian government, and Brazil should not be allowed to have normalized relations with Honduras until the debt is paid. In turn, the Honduran goverment should use the funds to compensate the direct victims of Brazil's complicity with Meloco.
That's my idea of restitution Mel...
By allowing its embassy to be used as a base for Zelaya's calls for insurrection, many innocent people were harmed. Homes close to the embassy were invaded by Zelaya's thugs, businesses were looted, window were broken, a curfew had to be imposed nationwide (with damages to the national economy estimated at $50,000,000.00 per day), schools were closed so that innocent children were deprived of an education, and the government had to use scarce public resources for security operations close to and around the embassy that could have been used for better purposes.
All of this because Brazil wants to impose a 'caudillo' on Honduras. The Honduran government should tally all of the direct and indirect costs and present a bill to the Brazilian government, and Brazil should not be allowed to have normalized relations with Honduras until the debt is paid. In turn, the Honduran goverment should use the funds to compensate the direct victims of Brazil's complicity with Meloco.
That's my idea of restitution Mel...
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Are Meloco's Supporters Racist?
Honduran businessmen at center of coup dispute
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Die-hard supporters of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya are increasingly turning their anger toward the country's wealthy business elite, a small but powerful cadre believed to solidly back the interim government that removed him at gunpoint three months ago.
The capital is now covered with graffiti demanding "Turks out! — apparently a reference to the Central American country's large number of business people of Middle Eastern descent — and on Saturday pro-Zelaya marchers lashed out at the elite's dominance over wealth in a country where millions are poor.
"They own almost the whole country," pro-Zelaya protester Arnoldo Pagoaga, a medical doctor who marched in his white uniform, said Saturday. "They're terrorists. ... They own the army, and sic it on us."
Fellow demonstrator Rafael Alegria complained that Honduras "has a large immigrant community that owns everything: commerce and industry."
"We don't really have our own economy," Alegria said. "We have to set that right."
Friday, September 25, 2009
'Meloco'
Now that Comandante Cowboy has shown the world that he is certifiably crazy with his comments to the 'Miami Herald' yesterday with all his talk about mind rays, radiation, and Israeli mercenaries; I came up with a new name for the man in a Stetson- 'Meloco'. Mel + loco (crazy) = Meloco.
What do you think readers? Is this an appropriate name?
I encourage you to read the editorial in the Wash. Post today where even the mainstream media is coming around and recognizing that this guy is not stable.
What do you think readers? Is this an appropriate name?
I encourage you to read the editorial in the Wash. Post today where even the mainstream media is coming around and recognizing that this guy is not stable.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Is the Media Honest?
Now that the curfew has been suspended, my wife will be participating in a peace march in Tegucigalpa today, along with other 'white shirts'. Go girl go!!
I'm just curious to see how much coverage the march gets in the international media. I predict that there will be more participants in this march than in the pro-Zelaya rallies, but that this march will get only very sparse attention in the international media in comparison.
Hmmm... I wonder why. Is there a media bias by chance? Prove me wrong media. Go out there and cover the march so that the rest of the world will know that the majority of Hondurans do not want Mel back, they just wish he would simply disappear...
I'm just curious to see how much coverage the march gets in the international media. I predict that there will be more participants in this march than in the pro-Zelaya rallies, but that this march will get only very sparse attention in the international media in comparison.
Hmmm... I wonder why. Is there a media bias by chance? Prove me wrong media. Go out there and cover the march so that the rest of the world will know that the majority of Hondurans do not want Mel back, they just wish he would simply disappear...
Beam Me Up
In an interview with the Miami Herald, Comandante Cowboy asserts that Israelis are torturing him with mind rays and toxic gases. He alleges his throat is sore from toxic gases and "Israeli mercenaries" are torturing him with high-frequency radiation that alter his physical and mental state.
I don't know about his physical state, but his mental state was altered long, long ago.
Beam me up Comandante Cowboy!!
I don't know about his physical state, but his mental state was altered long, long ago.
Beam me up Comandante Cowboy!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hitler was Democratically Elected too!!
I just returned to New Orleans Sunday night after spending two lovely weeks with my family in Honduras. I was struck by the graffiti everywhere, on every wall, all over the city. Graffiti was not only on the stucco walls which can easily be painted over, but also on many lovely stone walls which cannot be so easily cleaned or removed. Thus, showing the total lack of respect that Mel's supporters have for private property and their sense of vandalistic compulsions.
What also struck me was the outright racist nature of some of the graffiti towards the local Arab (or 'Turco' population). In many of Comandante Cowboy's speeches he tried to stroke class conflict and hatred by placing the blame for all of Honduras' many problems on the business class. Since much of Honduras' business class is of Arab descent, I assume many of Mel's followers equate this with Mel blessing anti-semitism (yes, Arabs are Semites also), and thus the racist graffiti.
Knowing how the European community has insisted on Mel being restored to power and after seeing the racist graffiti sprayed on the walls, I couldn't help but remember that Adolf Hitler was also democratically elected the chancellor of Germany in the 1930's. Is the world better off since the Germans did not remove a democratically elected politician from power, or would the world have been better off if he had been removed? Of course the question is just rhetorical because we all know the answer.
But maybe people just don't learn from history. The world is insisting on Mel's reinstatement, while at the same time, the graffiti sprayed on the walls of Tegucigalpa show the clear racist sentiments of many of his followers. 'Kristallnacht' anyone?
What also struck me was the outright racist nature of some of the graffiti towards the local Arab (or 'Turco' population). In many of Comandante Cowboy's speeches he tried to stroke class conflict and hatred by placing the blame for all of Honduras' many problems on the business class. Since much of Honduras' business class is of Arab descent, I assume many of Mel's followers equate this with Mel blessing anti-semitism (yes, Arabs are Semites also), and thus the racist graffiti.
Knowing how the European community has insisted on Mel being restored to power and after seeing the racist graffiti sprayed on the walls, I couldn't help but remember that Adolf Hitler was also democratically elected the chancellor of Germany in the 1930's. Is the world better off since the Germans did not remove a democratically elected politician from power, or would the world have been better off if he had been removed? Of course the question is just rhetorical because we all know the answer.
But maybe people just don't learn from history. The world is insisting on Mel's reinstatement, while at the same time, the graffiti sprayed on the walls of Tegucigalpa show the clear racist sentiments of many of his followers. 'Kristallnacht' anyone?
Monday, September 21, 2009
AVOID COL. PALMIRA
Zelaya is reportedly in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, which is situated on Calle de Republica de Brazil in the Col. Palmira. I recommend avoiding this area because of the potential for violence
I trust the Honduran gov't will immediately suspend diplomatic relations with Brazil and declare their personnel 'persona non grata'. It should also take a page from the US playbook during the US invasion of Panama when it was trying to get Manuel Noreiga to leave the Vatican Embassy. In that situation, the US military surrounded the embassy, played very loud music 24 hours per day, and made life very difficult for those inside. No one can complain if Honduras does the same thing because it is now totally acceptable behavior since this is what that bastion of human rights and democracy, the USA, did...Oh and while they are at it, they should cut off water and electricity too.
I trust the Honduran gov't will immediately suspend diplomatic relations with Brazil and declare their personnel 'persona non grata'. It should also take a page from the US playbook during the US invasion of Panama when it was trying to get Manuel Noreiga to leave the Vatican Embassy. In that situation, the US military surrounded the embassy, played very loud music 24 hours per day, and made life very difficult for those inside. No one can complain if Honduras does the same thing because it is now totally acceptable behavior since this is what that bastion of human rights and democracy, the USA, did...Oh and while they are at it, they should cut off water and electricity too.
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