Obama's Weak Response Will Not Help To End The Honduras Coup Quickly

With the situation kicking off big-time in Honduras, Obama's weak response was just as vivid as the heavy-handed approach by many of the other American governments. Many South American leaders spoke out almost straight away with strong words, the infamous Mr Chavez even went as far as to hint on military reprisals if any Venezuelan nationals were harmed in any way, but Obama is 'treading carefully' as the mainstream press pack seem to be constantly repeating. The Organization of American States have now said that they will expel them from their organisation if power is not handed back, and this would have severe financial consequences for the country if the coup's leaders continue as they are doing, so hopefully they will see sense very soon.

July.01.2009 - George Valentine Corr, Blatant News Editor
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LONG TIME SINCE THIS HAPPENED
South & Central American countries are renowned for military coups, and the way in which this one was carried out is all too familiar. You get the present leader out of the country ASAP, then he/she and their support are cut off from each other. The army takes over, appoints a new leader, and the country begins years under a manufactured government that has not been democratically chosen by the people. But this is the first time in a long time that it has happened, and local leaders are expressing a strong demand for it to be sorted out pronto. One other aspect of those kinds of coup's in this part of the world has been the US president generally turning a blind eye while the changeover is taking place, and it seems that history is repeating itself in this case too.

OBAMA'S WEAK RESPONSE
Obama had a chance to come out and show what his foreign policy would be in South America, and he has not taken it. We are being told, by the mainstream media, that he moved fast and strongly, but this could not be considered the whole truth. His main comments, in a televised press conference, were based around calling it a 'coup', and saying it was 'illegal'. We are being told that these are big gestures for him, or for his country to make. I can assure you that there are a great many of his countrymen that do not think so. This is evident from the many US blogs/websites that are commenting on the situation. It is a 'coup' and they are 'illegal' by any standards, so this should be language which we come to expect from all democratic leaders the world over. What he should be saying is that he demands that Hondurans get a chance to vote on the constitution changes which President Manuel Zelaya was putting forward, whilst the army stands down immediately and the president is allowed to return to the country. Those would be strong words.

THE HONDURAN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
The coup came about because the Supreme Court ordered the Honduran army to remove the president from office. He had ordered a referendum which, if passed, was to allow future president's to be elected for a second term. President Zelaya had called it a non-binding referendum, and said that he had no plans to run for a second term himself. Many did not believe Zelaya, including the Supreme Court, Congress members, army leaders and members of his own party. The voting was due to begin early on Sunday, but the army stormed his palace during the night, and whisked him out of the country. The current law allows a president be elected to office for one 5 year term only, which does seem a little short if a president wants to make wide-sweeping changes to benefit a country, and if that country feels like the president is doing a good job.

A GOOD PRESIDENT?
It is unclear if the Honduran president was doing a good job, as reports are very mixed. He was elected in 2006 as a centre-right politician, but within a couple of years he had joined Chavez on his Bolivarian mission. Now he has embraced left-leaning politics, so you can see why members of his own party might want to oust him, but couldn't the people have chosen for themselves in the referendum? Surely he couldn't rig the results if there was so much opposition to him in public positions? There seems to be completely mixed messages regarding what the population, numbering about 7 million, thinks about him. There have been huge protests for both sides held all over the country, and in the capital, Tegucigalpa, it has been suggested that the numbers of people protesting against him outnumber those supporting his return. But these accounts cannot currently be verified, and should not be believed until so. His popularity rating was at about 30% this year, very low by any standards, so this vote could have been his final curtain call, but now we will never know.

THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
I've been trying hard to work out exactly what the words of the global leaders are telling us about the situation, and there is a strange smell coming off things. Obama tells us that a "terrible precedent" would be set if this coup were to be successful. What kind of a precedent would that be? That these kinds of problems may return to Latin America? He has also not helped the case by not suspending important financial (including military) aid to the country, and by not recalling it's ambassador. Obama also says that he has to be "careful" how he approaches this and the 'South American' subject in general. Why? It doesn't make sense. Say it like it is, the locals are tired of US presidents stepping over key issues with politico-speak, so help them out and show clear support. Meanwhile Obama has left all of the strong words for his staff to belt out at opportune moments, whilst time is ticking away for the Honduran public. One other aspect that doesn't sit kindly is the fact that some of the main leaders of this coup had military training in the US, including General Romeo Vasquez, Honduras' top military chief and the leader of this coup.

TO'ING & FRO'ING
It's hard to know what will happen now that the organisers of the Honduran coup have been given this ultimatum by the OAS (Organization of American States). It should help them decide that it is not in their countries best interests to suffer the economic sanctions that are awaiting them, if the coup is followed through with. The UN is also gearing up for sanctions, the World Bank has announced that it will suspend all loans to the country and most countries are coming out addressing the leaders of the coup with serious language. The world is on this subject it seems, and even though Obama's lack of clear support shows that the coup leaders do have some form of support in the background, this new ultimatum by the Organization of American States should help the cause. The OAS have given the Honduran coup organisers three days to make up their minds, so this could be over before we know it, and they could just have swayed public support away from themselves and to the president if they do give in. That would be an ironic ending to this tale from yesteryear, but also a possible reason for them not wanting to give in.

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