Everyone has an idea for saving Honduras
Now that it seems Costa Rican President Oscar Arias’ mediation has been de facto rejected by Honduras’ de facto government, everybody seems to be proposing their own creative solutions. South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who has already contributed to the situation by holding up the Senate confirmation for proposed assistant secretary of state for the ...
Now that it seems Costa Rican President Oscar Arias' mediation has been de facto rejected by Honduras' de facto government, everybody seems to be proposing their own creative solutions.
Now that it seems Costa Rican President Oscar Arias’ mediation has been de facto rejected by Honduras’ de facto government, everybody seems to be proposing their own creative solutions.
South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who has already contributed to the situation by holding up the Senate confirmation for proposed assistant secretary of state for the region, Arturo Valenzuela, is travelling to Tegucigalpa Friday — skillfully avoiding maneuvers by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry to keep him in the United States, and blithely side-stepping the question of legitimacy altogether — in order to lend his support to the coup government and express his belief that "Hondurans should be able to choose their own future."
They’ll do so to the tune of Caribbean music and announcements of curfew times, about the only thing currently transmitted by obedient television channels, fearful of the repression suffered by intransigent media outlets earlier this week. This as deposed President Manuel Zelaya continues to be holed up in the Brazilian embassy, along with a shrinking number of family members, supporters and his cowboy hat.
Is compromise possible? Honduran business leaders, horrified by the revenue loss provoked by the curfews imposed by the coup government — or perhaps more disturbed by the loss of their U.S. visas — suggested a multi-party interim presidency until the Nov. 29 elections, after which point Zelaya would stand trial and face house arrest. The plan also calls for tossing coup president Roberto Micheletti a congressman-for-life position as a sop and bringing neighboring countries troops in to keep order. Faced with an array of unappealing options, others are turning to higher powers, in the form of the Virgin of Suyapaor.
So best of luck to DeMint, but if he fails, his colleague Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will get a chance during her visit next week — also to support the coup government of course.
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