Could three times by the charm to avoid civil war in Honduras? That is the hope as representatives of both men claiming to be Honduras’ president spoke for the third time this month.Costa Rican president Oscar Arias talked with emissaries representing ousted President Manuel Zelaya and de facto president Roberto Micheletti. Arias offered an 11-point compromise that was not significantly different from the seven-point plan he presented in the previous round of talks. The new proposal- which includes reinstating Zelaya, creating a unity government, and holding early elections- was more “balanced” according to Arias. Unlike Arias’ plan over the weekend, the Micheletti camp did not outright refuse the new compromise and said it would send the proposal to Congress and the judiciary.
Arias’ intervention could very well be the final effort in seeking a negotiated end to the coup that deposed Zelaya on June 28th. The Nobel Peace Prize winner said that he would defer mediation to the Organization of American States if his latest plan is rejected.
Daily protests continue in Honduras for and against Zelaya; supporters of the ousted leader organized blockades today and are planning a national strike starting tomorrow. Backers of Micheletti took to the streets today denouncing the international press and claiming that a coup did not occur.
Image- AFP (“A supporter of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in Tegucigalpa.”)
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, The Telegraph, Reuters, Miami Herald, Bloomberg, BBC News
"Not significantly different"? You must be joking.
ReplyDeleteBecause, see, this
"[. . .] renunciando también a promover o apoyar cualquier consulta popular con el fin de reformar la Constitución para permitir la reelección presidencial, modificar la forma de Gobierno o contravenir cualquiera de los artículos irreformables de nuestra Carta
Fundamental. En particular, no realizaremos declaraciones públicas ni ejerceremos algún tipo de influencia inconsistente con los artículos 5, 239, 373 y 374 de la Constitución de la República de Honduras, y rechazaremos enérgicamente toda manifestación contraria al espíritu de dichos artículos y de la Ley Especial que Regula el Referéndum y el Plebiscito
is a pretty big difference, folks. Think about it for a sec. A foreign mediator dictates to the people of a country [any country] that they cannot even think to start the process to change their Constitution or form of government. Ever. Now put thyself in their shoes. How does that feel?
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ReplyDeleteMy understanding of the second plan is that the passage you cite here would only be in effect for 6 months, after which the possibility for reform is then subject to congressional means, as always.
ReplyDeleteLet's remember that the Honduran constitution has been amended some 15-20 times since 1982 already. I haven't heard anyone suggest that is suggesting that it should NEVER happen again. The sentiment here, as I understand it, is to let things cool down before trying to heat them up again.
1:14 PM
Miguel,
ReplyDeletethanks for your reply. If I get it right though the ones who will be pursuing any 'changes' (after Zelaya's term expires) will be those that supported the coup. That changes the game completely.