Things are really heating up in the streets in Honduras. Mass marches supporting President Zelaya, ousted in last Sunday's coup d'etat, have set on the capital, Tegucigalpa, anticipating the president's return on Sunday, July 5th. Zelaya issued a statement to his supporters in Honduras, calling on them to resist the coup in a non violent way and to await his return on Sunday. He also told the coup leaders to step down now while they still can, reaffirming the isolation imposed upon them by the international community. President Zelaya has said he will return on Sunday around noon, arriving at the international airport outside the capital city. He will be accompanied by President Cristina Fernandez from Argentina, President Fernando Lugo from Paraguay and President Rafael Correa from Ecuador.
The coup leaders still refuse to relinquish power and have reiterated that should Zelaya return, he will be arrested and imprisoned for crimes of "treason". (Uh, I think it's the other way around guys. Overthrowing and kidnapping a democratically elected president at gunpoint and forcing him into exile is actually more consistent with the crime of treason that convening a non-binding opinion poll to evaluate public opinion on important policy issues, which is what they accuse Zelaya of doing).
The top representative of the catholic church in Honduras, Cardinal Rodriguez, gave a nationally broadcast speech late last evening, stating the church supports the coup government and doesn't recognize a coup d'etat as having taken place. Now, the coup government is calling its illegal actions a "constitutional presidential succession". Cardinal Rodriguez warned President Zelaya not to return to the country, stating that if he does, there will be a "bloodbath". He actually really said that, and in fact eerily ended his sermon by saying the word "bloodbath" (baño de sangre) with a devilish smile.
CNN continues to interview and report on the coup government as a constitutional government, calling the dictator in place "President Micheletti". CNN is also presenting the alleged "charges" against President Zelaya, as fact.
The Organization of American States (OAS) is meeting in Washington this evening to determine the final suspension of Honduras from the regional group. Despite the decision made last night by the coup government to renounce the Democratic Charter and withdraw from the organization, the OAS does not recognize that action as legitimate, since the coup government itself is not recognized as a legal, constitutional government. Nevertheless, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, who returned this morning from Tegucigalpa, presented his report to the permanent council of member states this evening, explaining that the coup government refuses to budge at all and understands the consequences of its actions. Canada is opposed to President Zelaya returning to Honduras on Sunday, stating that "it's too early". Well, Canada, tell that to the thousands in the streets of Honduras whose rights are being violated now for eight days. There is still a curfew imposed by the coup government and a suspension of civil rights. Independent media are still censored or closed by the coup government and there is at least one reported and confirmed assassination at the hands of military. The army is also shooting M16s at the buses bringing people to the capital from the interior of the country, impeding their arrival to participate in the mass rallies in support of President Zelaya.
The Obama administration has been silent now for several days on the events in Honduras. I guess they are all enjoying a happy 4th of July while Hondurans are repressed, beaten and persecuted by the coup government that is still receiving millions in aid from the United States. Maybe Obama/Clinton are waiting for President Zelaya to actually be killed (which could happen if he returns to the country tomorrow, since there are snipers positioned all around the international airport, apparently awaiting his arrival) in order for Washington to classify the events this week in Honduras as a "coup d'etat" and suspend all aid.
Even the far right wing governments of Colombia, Peru, Mexico and the entire European Union have withdrawn their ambassadors from Honduras and suspended all ties with the country until President Zelaya is reinstated. Only the United States continues to stand alone as the sole supporter of the coup government. The US Ambassador in Tegucigalpa, Hugo Llorens, continues to maintain meetings with the coupsters.
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