EVA'S UPDATE 7-22: "Honduras Talks Postponed; Zelaya "On His Way" and Coup Regime Expels Venezuelans

[magbana]

"Wednesday, July 22, 2009
HONDURAS TALKS POSTPONED; ZELAYA SAYS "ON HIS WAY" TO HONDURAS; COUP REGIME EXPELS VENEZUELANS
Supposedly the "final" talks scheduled for today in Costa Rica - after President Oscar Arias, the designated (via Washington) mediator, requested an additional 72-hours on Sunday, when the talks had failed - have now been postponed. Last night, President Manuel Zelaya announced his return to Honduras today, and charged chief military commander General Romeo Vasquez - heavily involved in the coup d'etat that ousted Zelaya over three weeks ago - with his safety. "If anything happens to me", said President Zelaya last night in a press conference from Nicaragua, "General Romeo Vasquez is responsible". The Honduran military, trained, armed and funded by the United States, which also maintains a major strategic military base in the Central American nation, kidnapped and forced President Zelaya into exile on June 28, and since then has militarized the streets, repressed the people protesting the coup, assassinated, injured and detained over 1000 Hondurans, and shut down media outlets reporting on the events in the country.

Coup regime leader Roberto Micheletti declared his delegation will not attend the talks today in Costa Rica, claiming that Arias is drafting a new proposal that allegedly will "appease" the illegal regime. The main issue of contention is President Zelaya's return to power. The coup regime refuses to allow the constitutionally elected head of state to assume his position again, despite the fact that the current presidential term ends on January 27, 2009 and the Honduran Constitution does not allow for reelection.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a "tough" phone call to Micheletti on Sunday - coincidentally as Arias announced he was requesting an additional 72-hours to arrive at an agreement between the two parties. Clinton's call to Micheletti was an effort to arrive at some kind of resolution that would allow Washington to save face. So far, the Department of State has declared the events in Honduras do not constitute a "coup d'etat" (see post below) despite the fact that the whole rest of the world sees it as a coup. Washington is also the only government with a remaining ambassador in place in Honduras, and has broken absolutely no diplomatic, military or economic ties with the coup regime. Yesterday the European Union suspended over $90 million in aid to Honduras because of the coup.

The coup regime also issued an order to the Venezuelan Embassy declaring all Venezuelans to leave the country immediately. Nevertheless, Venezuela responded by stating it does not recognize the order from the illegal coup regime, since it does not constitutionally represent Honduras. The Venezuelan Ambassador was recalled right after the coup, but some diplomats do remain at the embassy in Tegucigalpa and have been key in protecting international journalists that have come under attack by the regime.

Meanwhile, the Honduran people are still out in the streets protesting the coup, on this 25th day since the de facto regime was first installed. The economy remains shut down by striking workers, schools remain closed because of teacher's strikes and there are disturbances throughout the nation. A national curfew is still in effect, imposed by the dictatorial regime.

The new Panamanian government, led by recently inaugurated President Martinelli, a multi-millionaire neoliberal conservative, has applauded the Honduran military for "keeping order" in the country. Apparently, Panama is recognizing the coup regime and working closely with Micheletti to resolve the growing economic problems in Honduras. Micheletti and Martinelli are old friends, both members of several business councils in Central and Latin America.

The longer things stall, the coup regime consolidates. On Sunday, a month will have passed since the coup d'etat was executed. Hopefully, it will be defeated before then.
Posted by Eva Golinger at 10:27 AM"
http://www.chavezcode.com/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Doesn't seem possible it has been 25 days already. Hoping Romero Vasquez will not get the chance

to kill this elected, people-responsive President, a man who is clearly his superior in every conceivable way in this world and in the next.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com.nyud.net:8090/userfiles/vasquez1.jpeg http://s.wsj.net.nyud.net:8090/public/resources/images/NA-AY587_HONDUR_G_20090625192556.jpg

[rabs]

2. Car-thief general has a high opinion of himself with five stars

In the entire history of the United States, there have been only five generals who had the honor of five stars for fighting real enemies, not firing on their own people.

You think maybe the golpista gorilla had his stars made from the hugcaps of the cars he was convicted of stealing? :rofl:




Five-Star Generals and Dates of Rank:

General of the Army George C. Marshall: December 16, 1944

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur: December 18, 1944

General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower: December 20, 1944

General of the Army Henry H. Arnold: December 21, 1944

(Redesignated General of the Air Force pursuant to Public Law 58, 81st Congress, approved May 7, 1949):

General of the Army Omar N. Bradley: September 20, 1950

[Judi Lynn]

3. I'd imagine if you look hard enough, you'd find a hood ornament or two added to the metal things

on his costume.

http://www.businesscardsprinting.biz.nyud.net:8090/images/business-cards/design/cars/18-hood-ornament.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com.nyud.net:8090/ http://www.velocityjournal.com.nyud.net:8090/images/logos/cadillac.jpg
I looked at his stars and really wondered about that. Do you think he compares himself more with General Bradley, or MacArthur?

He's got one distinction they don't have: SOA graduate!

Like you, I'd never expect to hear of any 5 star general ordering his troops to fire on unarmed civilians, not by a long shot.

http://www.jornada.unam.mx.nyud.net:8090/2009/07/01/fotos/021n1mun-1.jpg

Vasquez has promised not to take Goriletti's car.