Roberto Micheletti prepared to go, but only if Manuel Zelaya stays away

[cal04]

Source: Agence France-Presse

HONDURAN de facto leader Roberto Micheletti said he would be prepared to step down, but only if ousted President Manuel Zelaya does not return to power.

"For peace and tranquility in the country ... without the return of ex-president Zelaya, I would be ready to do it," Mr Micheletti said.

The comments appear to be a softening of his position since talks to resolve the country's crisis were adjourned last week.

The Central American nation has been convulsed with protests and flashes of violence since Mr Zelaya was forced out of the country at gunpoint on June 28. Although Mr Micheletti has support from the Honduran military, which helped orchestrate last month's coup, he has faced a barrage of criticism from the international community.

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25790377-12377,00.html

[scarletwoman]

1. Uh, sorry, Micheletti, your coup is illegal and you have no proper say.

Who does he think he's kidding?

[Warpy]

2. Zelaya wasn't all that popular, either

and they really seem to be looking for a way out of this mess now that the US hasn't jumped on their fascist bandwagon.

[scarletwoman]

3. He actually seems to be sufficiently popular with the people who are protesting the coup.

Not that the U.S. media is covering that part...

[Mudoria]

6. Actually he's not that popular.. the last polls I read had him at Bush-like numbers

[scarletwoman]

7. Who did they poll? What was the methodology?

See, I imagine that many, if not most of the poor in Honduras don't have telephones. Did the pollsters go door to door?

Honduras has one of the worst Have/Have Not divides in Latin America. It's easy to poll the Owner class, and of course they'll disapprove of anyone who wants to bring more equality.

[Bacchus39]

5. sounds like a good plan. n/t

s

[EFerrari]

12. How do we know that? The oligarchy was having fits because

he raised the minimum wage and spent some money on health and education. On the other hand, the oligarchy owns the medie as they do in so many of these countries and the people can't pay for polls. :shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

4. Micheletti Attempted to change Constituton to allow Reelection - 1985

Micheletti Attempted to change Constituton to allow Reelection - 1985
1985 Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 12:33:10 PM PDT

Alfredo Xalli at Mimalapalabra has a post today on de facto Honduran President Roberto Micheletti's attempt to convert the Honduran National Congress into an Constitutional Assembly in 1985 whose principal goal was to extend the term of then-President Roberto Suazo Córdova.

bzr's diary :: :: According to the scanned copy of the La Tribuna from October 25, 1985, "Havoc broke out today in the National Congress after a motion was attempted to be read which would have hade the effect of transforming Congress into a Constitutional Assembly." The Motion explicitly called for suspension of the so-called "stone articles" of the constitution, including Article 374 prohibiting changes to presidential terms. The motion was signed by 12 Diputados, including Roberto Micheletti.

Micheletti was questioned by the head of Congress, Efrain Bu Girón, who invited them to retract their signature, and advised them that they "incurring a penal responsibility for an attempt against the democratic system". Micheletti, along with 5 other signatories, refused to take their names off the Motion.

So, not only did Micheletti himself propose a Constitutional Assembly within the Congress; (Zelaya was proposing that in the event that there were support for a Constitutional Assembly, it would come about with a broad participation of the various social sectors) but Micheletti's Constitutional Assembly had directly foreseen suspending the Article 374 related to Term Limits.

More:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/15/753803/-Micheletti-Attempted-to-change-Constituton-to-allow-Reelection1985

[cal04]

8. Honduras reimposes curfew amid protest threat

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Honduras_reimposes_curfew_amid_protest_threat.html?siteSect=143&sid=10962185&cKey=1247716355000&ty=ti

Honduras reimposed a curfew on Wednesday after a peasant protest leader close to deposed President Manuel Zelaya vowed nationwide demonstrations to demand his reinstatement after last month's coup.

The interim government said the curfew would run from midnight to 5 a.m., given "continued, open threats by groups who seek to provoke disturbances and disorder ... and to protect the people and their goods."

The measure came after Rafael Alegria, who led protests in the wake of Zelaya's June 28 ouster, said followers would choke access routes to the capital, Tegucigalpa, on Thursday and Friday before fresh mediation talks in Costa Rica on Saturday.

[rabs]

10. Mental malfunction again by the golpistas

They reinstate the curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. to "prevent disturbances different groups want to provoke."

Uh, tomorrow's pro-Zelaya demonstrations are set for long after 5 a.m.

And of course, they have to mention Venezuela.

"There are reports that groups financed by Venezuela are organazing violent demonstrations in the country to destabalize the interim government of Roberto Micheletti."
===========================================

From the golpista newspaper El Heraldo of Tegucigalpa just now.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

El gobierno reinstauró el toque de queda desde hoy a las 12:00 de la noche hasta las 5:00 de la mañana del jueves para prevenir "los disturbios que quieren provocar distintos grupos".

"Ante las continuas y abiertas amenazas de grupos que buscan provocar disturbios y desorden en algunos lugares de nuestra país y para brindar seguridad a la población y sus bienes se ha resuelto reinstaurar el toque de queda" , se anunció en cadena nacional a las 9:00 de la noche.

Hay informaciones de que grupos financiados por Venezuela organizan violentas manifestaciones en el país para desestabilizar el gobierno interino de Roberto Micheletti.
=============================

The pro-Zelaya union representing about 8,000 doctors, nurses and health workers announced today it would begin a nationwide strike tomorrow (Thursday.) Only emergency cases will be treated in hospitals across the country.

The Goriletti government today threatened to fires or suspend 20,000 teachers who have halted classes in public schools since the golpe.

Sounds like the Gorilettis are very scared indeed. Good!

[Judi Lynn]

14. So damned strange! Alan Garcia is also blaming the backlash to his massacre

on South American leftist leaders.

Why is it feared and hated right-wingers try to pin all the responsibility for their clumsy, vicious behavior on leaders who have great support from the vast majority of their citizens.

Hateful clowns.

Thanks for the new information.

[L. Coyote]

9. Imagine the military putting Obama on a plane to Europe in his pajamas, and now

consider what you think of this idea.

Would you settle for the coup leader stepping down if they demanded Obama stay in Europe?

:rofl: Ridiculous Roberto :rofl: Take your junta and shove it, for the sake of Democracy!

[Vidar]

11. This might be a good sign.

[EFerrari]

13. I hope so!