Brazilian Delegation to Visit Honduras Amid Impasse

[Joanne98]

Source: Bloomberg

Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- A Brazilian government delegation will visit Honduras Sept. 28 to discuss the country’s political crisis, Honduran foreign ministry spokeswoman Johanna Padgett said.

Honduras’s acting government set a 12-hour nationwide curfew starting at 6 p.m. after thousands of supporters of overthrown President Manuel Zelaya today marched on the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, where Zelaya remained for a sixth day. Zelaya unexpectedly returned to Honduras this week after he was exiled by soldiers at gunpoint June 28.

A mission of the Organization of American States is to visit Honduras to facilitate talks between Zelaya and acting President Roberto Micheletti, although no date has been set, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said in a statement late yesterday. Arias, who mediated negotiations that stalled on Micheletti’s refusal to restore Zelaya to office, said he has no immediate plans to visit Honduras.

Zelaya says the use of toxic gases and sonic blasts are among tactics being used by the government to drive him out of the embassy. Helicopters flew overhead today as police blocked Zelaya supporters outside a two-block radius around the embassy.

“I’m ready to do whatever’s necessary until he’s restored to power,” student protester Jefferson Barahona said outside the embassy.


Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a2.Et531J4pI

[Judi Lynn]

1. Very good idea, and the butthead scums of the coup should not fail to allow them into the embassy.

Something needs to be done to get the people inside some help. The coup's attacks on the embassy are contrary to international law, they must be held responsible.

Best wishes to the people of Honduras in their struggle.

[Joanne98]

2. They've been using some kind of chemical weapons too. This is an emergency

they need to hurry up.

[EFerrari]

3. Lugo told Obama he wants to meet with him this week about Honduras.

Lugo is all over this.

[Peace Patriot]

4. Where can I read about Lugo's involvement? That's very interesting. nt

[EFerrari]

5. I only read those two blurbs on Friday. That he wants to talk to Obama

and in another piece, that he's sending a delegation.

Maybe there's more in the Brazilian press? :hi:

[rabs]

10. Lula responded with strong language to the goriletti ultimatum

This was yesterday in New York. Think Lula will be speaking tomorrow at the UN special session to discuss the situation in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa.

----------------
From O Estado de Sao Paulo: (Lula responding to the golpista claim that Zelaya is using the embassy to generate violence in Honduras)

"O que é anormal não é que Zelaya tenha voltado, mas que o tal Micheletti tenha ficado", comentou o presidente brasileiro.

"What is abnormal is not that Zelaya has returned, but that this Micheletti has stayed (in Honduras)," the Brazilian president commented.

O presidente usou palavras fortes para rejeitar a insinuação do governo interino de que o Brasil tenha participado na operação que permitiu a volta de Zelaya a Honduras.

The president used stong workds to reject the insinuation from the interim goverment that Brazil participated in the operation that allowed the return of Zelaya to Honduras.

"Eu não posso comentar uma cretinice dita por um golpista", afirmou.

"I can't comment un idiocy said by a golpists," he said.

(Lula is pissed, to say the least. Have not seen that he and Obama will be talking; probably at this point not necessary since Obama is so out in left field regarding what is happening in Honduras)

[L. Coyote]

6. INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE IN HONDURAS

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE IN HONDURAS
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/23/content_12101307.htm

The European Union on Tuesday asked Micheletti and Zelaya to abstain from "any action which could increase the tension and violence in the country." Also, it stressed "the importance to reach a negotiated solution" to the political conflict.

European Commissioner of Foreign Affairs Benita Ferrero-Waldner said, "now more than ever, it is imperative that Zelaya and Micheletti, the legislative and executive powers, as well as the presidential candidates of the country, unite their efforts in favor of an agreed solution."

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero urged the de facto government to respect Zelaya's physical integrity and the Brazilian embassy.

France also asked Micheletti to "guarantee the security" of Zelaya and urged him to sign the San Jose Agreement, proposed by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. The agreement stipulates that Zelaya be allowed back into the country to form a government of national unity, to end the political crisis and to restore the democratic order in Honduras.

President of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council Pedro Oyarce condemned the violent events on Tuesday morning at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.

He asked the de facto authorities "to respect human rights of all the Honduran citizens, full guaranties for Zelaya and the Brazilian diplomatic representation."

Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo demanded "respect to the physical integrity of the constitutional President Zelaya" and guarantees "for the freedom of speech of the citizens and the right to mobilize."

Chile's Foreign Ministry also urged the de facto authorities to protect Zelaya's life and physical integrity, and called on the involved parties to be calm and appease violence in the country.

"We ask, in the same way, the restitution of President Zelaya," the Chilean Foreign Ministry added.

Non-governmental organizations from Guatemala requested Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom to ask the UN Security Council to stop "the grave situation" in Honduras.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Odd photo from Honduras published today:

A soldier points his weapon to supporters of ousted Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya outside the Sept. 26: Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa. Honduras' interim leader Roberto Micheletti said Zelaya might be allowed to leave Brazil's embassy where he has taken refuge without being arrested if he is granted political asylum outside the country. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
26th September 2009, 3:20pm

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/world/2009/09/26/11137791.html

[EFerrari]

8. I guess the woman in this story should just be grateful she wasn't shot:

Repression at Embassy
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:01pm — sydneyf

Here is another testimony taken by a member of our International Witness Delegation.

Lilian, a 46-year old resident of Tegucigalpa, was in the region of the Brazilian Embassy yesterday, along with hundreds of others, celebrating democratically-elected president Mel Zelaya’s return. At about 5:30am, members of the police and military came to displace the assembly.

They used tanks to surround the area and began firing tear gas and live bullets into the crowd in an attempt to concentrate people in one area. At that time, Lilian was vomiting from the strong effects of the tear gas. She quickly found herself alone in front of the embassy.

What the military did then, “instead of helping me or at least ignoring me,” Lilian said, was to beat her at least 20 times with clubs. They were also shouting things like “You’re from the Resistance aren’t you, you son of a bitch…Call the Resistance to come help you now.”

The photos show the effects of those beatings, including severe bruising on her leg, arm, and wrist.









http://www.quixote.org/content/repression-embassy

[Judi Lynn]

9. Unbearable. I've seen a newsclip with the cops beating a woman very similar to Lillian.

They apparently feel no guilt whatsoever pounding the bejesus out of grandmother types.

This lady is going to hurt for a long time after that beating. Too bad it won't happen to Micheletti and his fellow criminals, instead.

If any of these people had ever lifted a hand one against any of the cops of the snipers would have dropped them where theey stood.

The article did say they were shooting live rounds into the crowd to herd them around. Hideous.

[rabs]

11. Judi, the two photos in this thread are so emblematic of the golpistas' coup

The sniper on the roof of a Burger King is protecting the interests of a business that is run by a company that fully supports the golpista regime.

The photos of the woman who was beaten wraps up what the golpista police and military are doing to the people.

[L. Coyote]

12. Micheletti may not get out of Honduras, but I'll bet he seeks asylum outside the country

before this is over, to avoid paying for the coup crimes. Maybe Colombia?
Sorry Roberto, but His Excellency and Dictator Pinochet is no longer running Chile! :rofl: