Stalemate ahead of Honduras talks (BBC)

[Billy Burnett]

Stalemate ahead of Honduras talks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8141617.stm

Honduras's ousted president says he will demand the removal of the interim government within 24 hours during talks aimed at solving his country's crisis.

Manuel Zelaya was speaking ahead of the talks in Costa Rica.

The interim government, which is also taking part, says it intends to ensure Mr Zelaya returns to Honduras to face trial for abusing the constitution.

The exiled president has the backing of world leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

Judging by the comments in advance of these talks their mediator, Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias, has an almost insurmountable challenge ahead of him.

He has indicated that his intention is to solve the problem by this weekend.

More protests

But both Mr Zelaya and Roberto Micheletti, the interim president of Honduras, say the issue of a return of President Zelaya to power is not negotiable.

Mr Zelaya says he has to resume the presidency. Mr Micheletti says that cannot happen.

One possible solution is a head of state without political power role for Mr Zelaya.

But it would appear that that the interim government would not agree to that, as it says he is a criminal.

His supporters in Honduras are stepping up the pressure on the government.

They are expected to set up roadblocks on all routes into the capital on Thursday.

More demonstrations are also expected in the coming days by those who support the new government.

[flamingdem]

1. The stalemate is real. The country is polarized

as I wrote elsewhere even the resistance notes that the situation is complex and very polarized.

That includes the leaders who spoke by phone on Pacifica and Rigoberto Menchu the Nobel Prize winner.

[magbana]

2. I don't think the country is POLARIZED. There's evidence that

Zelaya is not the most popular guy in Honduras, BUT the real issue is that a coup has ripped the soul out of the people. There is no doubt that the overwhelming majority of Hondurans want Zelaya back because it represents a return to democratic constitutional order. I imagine there are no more than 200 active golpistas trying to prop up the murderous government in Honduras. This is not polarization, this is a country that is experiencing an illegal, criminal aberration of power planned and implemented under the guidance of the US and is roundly condemned by the people.

The blueprint and attendant propaganda line are exactly like the coup in Haiti. The number of mercenaries that were slaughtering their way across Haiti was wildly exaggerated. The word "polarized" started popping up in NYT, etc., as if there were two equally sized segments of the country vying for control. There were no more than 200 mercenaries operating in Haiti(financed and equipped by the US)and a minute elite class. Yet, with the repression by the initial interim force of the US, France, Canada, and Chile followed by the 9,000 UN Peacekeeping mission massacre team, it was easier for the NYT and others to write stories about a conflicted, polarized country.

I imagine you would see even more Hondurans on the street if they did not fear getting shot or disappeared and, since the leaders of popular organizations are on a "disappear/death" list drawn up by the government, it is hard for them to organize.

[Bacchus39]

3. there is MUCH doubt that the a majority of Hondurans want Zelaya back

there is little doubt that the overwhelming majority of Hondurans want Zelaya to go away.

fortunately for Honduras, no matter what happens Zelaya won't be around much longer and the interim government doesn't really appear to want to remain either.

[flamingdem]

4. Many Hondurans have fallen for the Honduras turning into Venezuela

media hammering and there is a class of Hondurans who don't identify with the poor or the resistence.

Like I said the resistence leaders are aware of this and Menchu described it as a very complex situation for that very reason.

[magbana]

5. yes, I read the same thing about Hondurans (some) swallowing

that Honduras is going to be "Chavized." But this does not stack up to a polarized country. You must look to the streets to see what the people are thinking. The anti-coup crowd is huge and comprised of the poor, youth, campesinos who came in from the rural areas, unions, leftists, and a shocking number of old people. Probably would be quite a few more if the army had not shot out the tires of protesters who were trying to get to Tegucigalpa. Now, the Pinochettis had to "rent" people to be in their rallies. Since pro-Pinochettis do not have to fear repression from military/police how come I don't seem them out in equal or greater numbers?

As for the class of Hondurans who don't identify with the poor that you mention --they are in the presidential palace and in the estates behind high walls, keeping a close eye on their maids for signs of supporting Zelaya. Come on, you've seen "The revolution will not be televised."

The point is that the anti-golpistas have the overwhelming majority. There is no polarization among the people.

The real polarization is this: on one side, you have the overwhelming majority of Honudurans, not wealthy, but who have a lot of heart and perseverance. On the other side, an international syndicate comprised of US government, Cuban terrorists, professional coup plotters from a variety of countries who are responsible for the propaganda about Honduras becoming a Venezuela and other crap, the Honduran army and the absolute least of it, the Pinochettis. The Pinochettis are tools in this and the US is going to drop them like hot potatoes.

Unless the people can forge a strong fight against this syndicate, the syndicate will crush them. And, Honduras will have to become an extremely repressive state in order to prop up a wildly unpopular coup government and dear Amb. Hugo Llorens becomes the Viceroy.

[Billy Burnett]

6. Operation Pedro Pan 2 to "rescue" children of RW to save them for evil commies. eom

[flamingdem]

7. That sounds accurate but I'd like to hear an assessment from an observer

like Menchu - who is certainly to the left - detailed for a better understanding of the tensions.

[EFerrari]

8. When political participation carries the threat of harm or loss or death

it's not possible to really gage the opinion of the public. That's why the Pinochettis are using those measures, of course.