PINOCHETTIS Press Conf.: Not exciting except for the PROTEST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESS CONF.

[magbana]

The press conference started at 3:00 PM. The place was packed, perhaps 60 people and that does not include the reporters and TV cameramen. I could not verify whether a CSPAN camera was there, but I will check the schedule over the next several days and let you know.

Bermudez, who used to be the Honduran ambassador to the US until he went back to Honduras and told Micheletti he wanted to be a Pinochetti and then the US would not accept his ambassador accreditation and Zelaya replaced him, did most of the talking. He said minutes before the press conference he had spoken to Micheletti and he said that Oscar Arias would be the negotiator.

I won't go through too many of the individual comments because, trust me, they aren't worth it. Their mantra was: "we are peaceful people, Zelaya broke a bunch of laws, this is not a coup, all the people of Honduras are behind us, and we are so pleased Oscar Arias will be the negotiator.

The Pinochettis have been meeting with "high level" people and, when pressed for names, the following were given, Mel Martinez,Lincoln Diaz-Balart -- you get the idea. They said they would meet with Tom Shannon. (That makes sense because if the coup government is party to a negotiation, I guess the ban on such things is lifted.)

Honduran government considering possibility of giving Zelaya amnesty for his "crimes."

I and another colleague were able to get in questions:

Ouestion: Can you give more information about ALL the parties that will be involved in a negotiation process and how does that jibe with AP report this morning that there would be compromise between Zelaya, Micheletti, and the Honduran military?

Answer: You'd have thought someone had come along and stapled their mouths shut. Three people said "they didn't know anything about that."

Question: If this is not a golpe de estado, why is there a curfew, why are people being detained including journalists?

Answer: Well, nothing like that is going on and I don't know about any journalist being detained?

Question: Yeah, but it's the Miami Herald reporting this -- are you still saying not detentions of journalists.

Answer: That's what I'm saying. As for the curfew and things like that, we are not doing that for any political reasons, its for the safety of the citizens. It's the same thing we do for a hurricane.

Three colleagues of mine interrupted the press conference by standing up and displaying a banner and chanted: "Blood is on your hands!" Golpistas, fuera!" As I was sitting in between two of them, I joined in the chanting. The Hondurans took it pretty well I thought, but the room got agitated and told them to leave. They took their time leaving the room and then you could hear, "Chavistas!"

And, finally, in person, was the one and only Roger Noriega, slithering in the back of the room.

THE END

[Judi Lynn]

1. Good grief! How many Cuban fascists are embedded in this circle jerk?

And topping it off with a creepy little Roger Noriega.

What a gala event!

Where did they hold this? Were you in the Honduran embassy? What a shame the nazi crowd was uncomfortable in the presence of people who object to this filthy coup.

You will need a total decontamination after being around these guys!

It would be excellent seeing them answering the questions. If you do hear it's available later please post the info. here!

[magbana]

2. I'm sorry, I should have included that the press conference was at

the National Press Club.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Interesting place for that event. They're out for media support, right? A-holes. Thanks. n/t