The American Spectator : Hounding Honduras

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Hounding Honduras

By Doug Bandow on 9.8.09 @ 6:07AM

The Obama administration is determined to destroy democracy in Honduras in order to save it.

Honduras will be holding an election in a couple of months. Washington is threatening not to recognize the result. Would the Obama administration prefer a full-blown military dictatorship take power?

The saga of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has entered its third month. On June 28 the Honduras military, in response to an arrest warrant from the nation's Supreme Court, rousted Zelaya from his bed and deported him. Since then the U.S., Organization of American States, and most of Honduras' neighbors have pressed for his return.

The controversy can best be described as a muddled mess. Zelaya's term was set to expire in January; elections, in which the candidates already had been chosen, were scheduled for November. Zelaya, who moved sharply left after his victory and allied himself with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, proposed a National Constituent Assembly to amend the Honduran constitution.

The subject to be addressed was not specified, but Zelaya was suspected of wanting to follow Chavez's example of using a national plebiscite to drop term limits, which are enshrined in the Honduran constitution. Indeed, the constitution specified that to even propose their elimination is grounds for immediate removal from office.

Presuming that this was his intent, the Honduran high court voided the poll. Zelaya attempted to hold the vote anyway, causing the Supreme Court to issue the warrant. After his ouster the National Congress name legislative head Roberto Micheletti interim president.

The result is a perfect legal imbroglio. Zelaya claimed the military mounted an illegal coup. The Micheletti government says the military never took power and acted at the behest of the Court and Congress (the constitution does not provide for legislative impeachment). There was no legal authority for exiling Zelaya, but the Honduran authorities claimed exigent circumstances. Much depends on an assessment of his intentions, and whether those assumptions should be treated as facts.

Was Zelaya a dedicated populist or putative dictator? There are grounds for suspicion, yet his popularity had dropped sharply before his ouster and he was opposed even by many in his own party. Polls show Hondurans to be sharply divided, agreeing that there were legal grounds for the military's action but opposing Zelaya's ouster.

The best position for the U.S. would have been to stay out of the controversy. Let the Hondurans work it out themselves. The Micheletti government has been heavy-handed in breaking up demonstrations. But this is not North Korea, Burma, or Cuba, in which liberty has been extirpated and regime critics face prison or worse. Nothing required Washington to do anything.

However, Zelaya immediately became the latest cause célèbre of the Left in America. Activists who earlier demonstrated denouncing U.S. intervention suddenly began churning out blog posts demanding that Washington "restore democracy" in Tegucigalpa. The means: obnoxious and officious U.S. meddling.

The Obama administration, OAS, and neighboring countries all have insisted that Zelaya be returned to power. Costa Rica's Oscar Arias, among others, has proposed a compromise recalling Zelaya while restricting his authority. But the bottom line is the claim that Zelaya remains Honduras' rightful president.

The Micheletti government, backed by most of the nation's traditional power centers, including the Catholic Church, has refused to consider any Zelaya restoration. Roberto Micheletti has offered to step down, but those backing him believe Zelaya's presidency was legitimately ended by an authoritative decision of the Honduran Supreme Court.

The OAS is essentially powerless -- it suspended Honduras's membership, but can do little more. Honduras' neighbors are unlikely to do anything other than lecture. The European Union suspended some foreign assistance, but can do no more. Thus, if anyone can force Tegucigalpa into line, it is the U.S. In fact, Zelaya contended that Washington needs "only tighten its fist" to restore him. However, other than mounting a military invasion or imposing a trade embargo, America's power, too, is limited.

The administration initially suspended $22 million in aid, mostly for the military, and invalidated visas for officials in the interim regime. Moreover, last week Obama officials said they're reconsidering the status of America's four-year $215 million aid program. So far the Micheletti government has refused to bend.

Thus, the administration is ratcheting up the pressure. The State Department froze all non-immigrant visas. Roughly 30,000 visas are granted for business and tourist purposes every year, which means about 2,500 people a month are being inconvenienced by the U.S. action. State explained that it was "conducting a full review of our visa policy."

No one explained exactly how preventing a Honduran businessman from traveling to America to complete a deal will help Zelaya's quest. Perhaps President Obama expects frustrated children hoping to go to Disney World to rise up and overthrow the Micheletti administration. In fact, outside sanctions typically encourage people to rally around their governments rather than back the interfering outsiders.

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About the Author

Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and the Senior Fellow in International Religious Persecution at the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics (Crossway).

Letter to the Editor View all comments (27) | Leave a comment

S.L. Toddard| 9.8.09 @ 7:39AM

"The best position for the U.S. would have been to stay out of the controversy. Let the Hondurans work it out themselves."

Precisely. This should be the default position for the U.S. vis a vis all foreign policy issues in which vital U.S. interests are not at stake - Honduras, the Russia/Georgia conflict, Israel/Arab conflict, the Iranian protests, the Balkans in the 90s etc. It is not the responsibility of the United States to poke its nose in every time some group of pygmies has a squabble.

Bram| 9.8.09 @ 9:23AM

I assume the big press is on now to restore the aspiring dictator because after November the argument will be too ridiculous for even our State Department to pursue.

I hope the Hondurans are strong and can resist the nonsense for another 2 months.

sdfsdf| 5.10.10 @ 5:06AM

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Michael Tomlinson| 9.8.09 @ 11:13AM

What's new that's what he's doing in this country too -- trying to destroy it to produce a Hugo Chavez type "democracy" north.

BD57| 9.8.09 @ 11:22AM

Anyone believe we'd have the same policy if Zelaya was hostile to Chavez?

Russell Morgan| 9.8.09 @ 4:14PM

Why are you saying Zelaya's National Asembly had nothing to do with his Re-election???
"The subject to be addressed was not specified, but Zelaya was suspected of wanting to follow Chavez's example of using a national plebiscite to drop term limits, which are enshrined in the Honduran constitution. Indeed, the constitution specified that to even propose their elimination is grounds for immediate removal from office. "

You want to see ZELAYA SPECIFY IT? Go here and watch starting at 5.29 mark!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rlqv-4t-L4

Susana| 9.8.09 @ 4:23PM

Nations aren't usually put to the fearsome test to "live free or die." But we Hondurans are accepting it as the world pressures us to reseat a potential dictator in office.
I feel proud of my people , my congress , our armed forces, especially our National Heroe General Romeo Vazques that did not sold himself to Dictador Hugo Chavez like militars in Venezuela has done. And our Constitutional President Michelletti that have done till now a great job!
We prefer died on our feet
with our head held high;
than live the rest of our lifes on our knees
without freedoom in hands of this dictador wannabe ZELAYA.
We want for our kids the same Honduras
we know a poor country ? yes, maybe ;but beutiful and peaceful country ;
we have freedoom
and liberty of expresion.
we have the right to fail or suceed.
We won't fall, captive of any dictador and we won't violate our laws and constitution just to make Obama or Chavez happy.
Honduras is the free land of the brave indians.
Now I feel even more proud of being part of this tiny country that is so brave and defends democracy like we do.

Russell Morgan| 9.8.09 @ 4:41PM

Zelaya NOT only violated Honduran Constitution but also DISOBEYED a Honduran Supreme Court ORDERissued on 5/27/09 SUSPENDING his referendum because ONLY Congress with the TSE can do this! What happens to you if you disobey a court order in the USA? WHT IF you disobey a USA Supreme Court Order?

Go here to see Supreme Court order..
http://www.poderjudicial.gob.h.....pecial.htm
Go to bottom and click on pdfs to see all their rulings in this matter!

NOW YOU NO WHY THE HONDURAN SUPREME COURT DID NOT ACCEPT ARIAS PROPOSAL, and I wish the Press would STOP calling that the San Jose Accord since the Honduran government HAS NEVER ACCEPTED IT! Are these people running the USA so stupid that they call a proposal an accord now a days?

JorgeFromHonduras| 9.8.09 @ 5:56PM

I totally agree with Russell. What San jose Accord ? Who is in this ¨accord¨ ? I am sure 90% of the Honduras people who do NOT want Zelaya back are not in this ¨accord¨!

Furthermore, why are leftists marxist coming up from under the rocks? Simply because the USA has tolerated thugs like Hugo Chavez for too long.

Hey, I have something to tell all of you lefties ... the problem with socialism is quite simple ... ITS TOO LATE, THINGS ALREADY HAVE AN OWNER! You cant go around creating your dark empire expropriating things in the name of the poor and expect NOT to become a future USSR/Cuba fiasco!.

What the USa needs to do is be ware of these thugs. Eventually, when all else fails (aka all socialist agendas fail), they will start blaming the US, getting their hands on Nukes, and then well see how a Nuke in Honduras sounds like! (Remember, Honduras is only 2 hours from Florida). No one should tolerate this any longer.

HONDURAS, LIVE FREE OR DIE!

J Lum| 9.24.09 @ 1:54PM

A lot of us Americans support the Hondurans totally.Are there Honduran products we can buy to strenthen your postition?

BuddyOne| 9.8.09 @ 8:29PM

Susana, I am proud of your country, too. Like many US citizens, I pray for the strength of your people. We are proud to call you our neighbors. By the way, I am counting on the high quality of your health care system, so it is doubly important that you prevail.

Ke Ja| 9.8.09 @ 11:01PM

Hi,
If you want a good chronology of what happened over many months, please read this:
http://www.hondurasthisweek.co.....ras-crisis
There are some other editorials there too.

Enjoy my videos from Honduras, by Hondurans
http://youtube.com/SupportHonduras

Mel didn't only violate order of the Supreme Court, he publicly declared that he would not obey the orders of the Supreme Court (self-acknowlegement!)
He admitted he participated in fraud in his own election, and the new govenment has evidence that the referendum and the 4th ballot would have been total frauds. He usurped the authority of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal by ordering the referendum by decree for which he was not Constitutional authorized to do.
He didn't abide by his Constitutional duties by vetoing or ratifying 96 bills from the National Congress. It's quite easy for a rogue president to render his legislature branch impotent if this is tolerated. He was already basically ruling by decree, and he refused to submit budget according to law.
Mel Zelaya was the sole authority of law and of government and of elections- a dictator- by his own views and actions.
Anybody who supports his return, support dictators: Plain and Simple.
Why does US support dictator? Clearly the Obama Left wanted a Chavez-written constitution installed, with power consolidated forever as a Socialist satellite state of Chavez. They believe in Marxism, with the will and liberty of the people of Honduras be damned.

Ryan Wilson| 9.9.09 @ 3:24AM

Waldemar Frank| 9.9.09 @ 3:25AM

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clayton| 9.9.09 @ 7:05AM

Obama wants to be just like Hugo Chavez. He wants to go the socialist way, like Europe, Asia and now most of South America. He will have more friends in his Socialist/Communist world, and he will get to wear a Military Uniform or a crown if he wants to. Then, when he dies, his brother, who is in Africa now can become king.

Sensible people, though, wish to see him ousted ASAP. God bless those people in Hondrous for doing the right thing.

Vsevolodich| 9.9.09 @ 3:05PM

I think this politics isn't good.
U.S. leaders have to be more constractive.

Distant observer| 9.9.09 @ 9:04PM

Kudos to Doug Bandow! So well said and clearly spelled out. Let the Honduran people govern themselves. They are doing a better job of defending their democracy than all other South American nations combined.

Valera| 9.10.09 @ 6:35AM

Nice work! Good luck! Very good article!

Terese| 9.11.09 @ 2:22AM

Jorge and Susana: I'm deeply ashamed of the politicians in Washington for supporting tyrants. The Honduran people are providing the people of the United States with an inspiring reminder of the fact that freedom isn't free.

Richard Baker| 9.11.09 @ 5:32PM

The Hondurans are trying to re-teach the lessons that the Founding Fathers taught during the American Revolution. Of course, the Kenyan hates what the Hondurans are doing. Sic Semper Tyrannis.

WH Simon| 9.23.09 @ 2:02PM

OAS should arrange for Zelaya to be removed from the Brazilian embassy, placed under house arrest, and tried immediately by the appropriate Honduran court. If found innocent of charges he should be restored to the Presidency until his replacement by a president chosen by the Hondurans on Nov 29, 2009. If found guilty he should be permanently removed from the Presidency and punished appropriately.