President Zelaya in Honduras has been arrested by the military.

[Peace Patriot]

See this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3942632

Report from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8123126.stm

[Judi Lynn]

1. I'll wait until we get something we can trust, which may take a while, right?

As Mark Twain said long ago, and we have learned ourselves so quickly,

"A lie is halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its boots."

[Peace Patriot]

2. Good point. Is it even true that he was arrested?

Think of the whoppers that the corpo/fascist press told in 2002, around the Bushwhack-supported coup in Venezuela, and the black holes in their 'news' reports about the Bushwhack-instigated coup attempt in Bolivia, this last September, and about the "free trade" massacre of the indians in Peru, recently. If the BBC can promote this lie that term limits were on the ballot that Zelaya was promoting, they could have the whole situation wrong. For all we know, some loyal segment of the military is protecting Zelaya, not arresting him. The BBC has been quite wretched in its reporting on Venezuela. They sometimes sound like the Miami Herald. (It's been quite a shock to me to see this.) So, wait and see is a wise policy.

Really, though, what I expect to see next is the U.S. military base moved from Ecuador to Honduras. I think that is quite possibly what is going on--getting rid of Zelaya, who is disillusioned with "neo-liberalism" and was apparently trying to mobilize populist support for change--installing a more U.S.-friendly president, and thus hanging onto one of their few footholds in Latin America. If so, it is subtler (corpo/fascist) planning than the Bushwhacks were capable of. Brilliant, really. An excellent sussing out of weakness among the leftist/democratic forces; a shrewd evaluation of Zelaya; painting a Constitutional convocation as "insane"; and probably considerable bribery behind the scenes--including a U.S. military base and infusion of more military booty? We'll see.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Looks as if he's definitely arrested. Look what "eppur_se_muova" found:

CNN quotes Zelaya at length ...
Posted by eppur_se_muova

Zelaya said Friday that the poll is justified by a Honduran law "that says the citizens can ask the powers of the state to be consulted. That poll has no binding character. That is, its result -- yes or no -- does not obligate the state to do anything. It's a public opinion poll. It's a poll that does not create new rights, does not create a new law."

He said its sole purpose is to query Hondurans about a possible constitutional change in the next elections in November, when he will no longer be in office. In other words, whatever happens, there is no possibility that he will be re-elected, he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/28/honduras.president.arrested/index.html

Posted in LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3942632&mesg_id=3942691

~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is astonishing, as it shows almost everything we're reading is completely bogus!

[magbana]

4. Honduran People Demand Return of Pres. Zelaya - Watch Telesur TV

Picked this up from Cuban News Agency. second article in Spanish from Telesur. I think Telesur will be a good news source throughout this ordeal: http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/canal/senalenvivo.php

Honduran People Demand Return of President Manuel Zelaya
HAVANA, Cuba, June 28 (acn) The Honduran people have taken to the streets of the capital Tegucigalpa to demand the return of President Manuel Zelaya, who was kidnapped early on Sunday by military forces. Uncertainty prevails in the country as people fear for the life of the Honduran President, according to media reports.
The news about a coup attempt is common knowledge in the country, while the media in favor of the local oligarchy silence the details about the kidnapping of Zelaya, according to reports by PL news, which adds that the state TV channel was taken out of the air.
The Honduran people have mobilized and marched towards the Presidential Palace, while leaders of social organizations interviewed by TELESUR TV Channel affirmed that demonstrators are accusing the military that supported the coup attempt of being traitors, in what is described as a confrontation raising its tone.
Some military vehicles stationed around the Presidential Palace withdrew from their positions at times in the face protest actions by the people, who have thrown stones against the military supporting the coup.
The homes and offices of top Honduran government officials have been surrounded by the military, though Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas affirmed that the struggle for the rights of the people will not reverse.
This incident has originated from the decision of oligarchic groups to boycott the development of Sunday’s opinion poll, which is the first step for a future call for a National Constituent Assembly to make reforms on the country’s Constitution aimed at defending the fundamental rights of the Honduran people.
Earlier today, Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas denounced the kidnapping of President Zelaya by the military, in statements to TELESUR TV Channel.
“Our offices and homes have been surrounded by the military, but as long as we have the right to speak we will denounce the actions aimed at thwarting the people’s referendum,” she said and went on to note “this is a crime against our democracy and we have affirmed that we will continue with our struggle despite the consequences, but our people will not kneel down before those who want to kill the hope we are building.”
This attack has been perpetrated by the same oligarchic groups that submitted the Honduran people to hunger and poverty for decades, said the Foreign Minster and she affirmed “the people will follow on the way to democracy with us or without us.”
Reports say that the Organization of American States (OAS) called an urgent meeting of its Permanent Council to analyze the crisis in Honduras and “to defend the country’s democratic stability.”
Honduran radio stations have been reporting, since very early hours on Sunday, that President Zelaya was detained and forcibly taken away by a grouped of hooded military after a shooting took place between the kidnappers and the President’s personal guards; the reports do not say if there were killed or injured people in the action, according to AP.
World news/Honduras/lach


TeleSUR _ Hace: 26 minutos

Militares encapuchados tomaron desde primeras horas de la mañana de
este domingo la residencia del presidente Manuel Zelaya. Según
información de la enviada especial de teleSUR en el país los militares
se encuentran armados y presuntamente habrían trasladado al primer
mandatario a la sede de la base aérea, sin embargo, se desconoce la
ubicación exacta del jefe de Estado.

La Canciller Patricia Rodas dijo a teleSUR que en este momento se
desconoce la ubicación del presidente "fue secuestrado por militares"
denunció. Informó que los militares están rodeando su lugar de
habitación y que han tomado la sede del canal 8.

"Los militares están rodeando mi casa incluso hay francotiradores",
insitió. "Lo han secuestrado no sabemos su paradero". "Nuestas casas
estan militarmente rodeadas no sabemos cuánto tiempo más tendremos
derechoa ha hablar", alertó la Canciller.

"La enviada especial de teleSUR, Madelein García, presente en el
sitio, detalló que los militares están encapuchados y se niegan a
prestar declaración alguna. Informó que los militares han tenido una
postura hostil contra la prensa apostada en el lugar.

Según la información que se tiene hasta el momento estos militares
habrían presuntamente trasladado al presidente Manuel Zelaya a la sede
de la base aérea en la que el pasado jueves estuvo retenido el
material elector al para el proceso de este domingo.

"Se desconoce la ubicación del presidente Zelaya", insistó la enviada
especial de teleSUR.

Representantes de los movimientos sociales hacen un llamado a los
organismos internacionales para que intervengan ante esta situación.
Denuncian el silencio cómplice de algunos medios de comunicación que
no les han dado apertura para denunciar la situación que se presenta
en Honduras.

Hacen un llamado a los movimientos sociales para que se concentren en
las afueras del Palacio de Gobierno y expliquen la situación que se
presenta en el país. Catalogan como "golpe de Estado" la acción
militar de este domingo y exigen respeto e integridad física para
Manuel Zelaya.

"El presidente fue secuestrado" denunció Luther Castillo. Pidió a la
sociedad en general que permanezca en los puntos de votación y que se
movilicen en defensa del sistema democrático.

"Pedimos la liberación los más pronto posible del presidente, este es
un secuestro y este pueblo no se quedará con los brazos cruzados",
insistió Castillo.

La consulta popular, para determinar si se convoca a una Asamblea
Nacional Constituyente, debía iniciarse este domingo en Honduras con
la apertura de los centros de votación que fueron habilitados en los
parque de las principales ciudades de ese país centroamericano.

La consulta, convocada a partir de la firma de más de 400=2 0mil
ciudadanos hondureños, ha sido objeto de rechazo por parte de ciertos
sectores políticos y sociales de Honduras, lo que les ha llevado
incluso a intentar un golpe de Estado contra el presidente de ese
país, Manuel Zelaya.

El día sábado fueron instaladas en todo el país las 15 mil urnas que
contenían el material que se empleará durante la jornada de consulta
popular.

Dos millones de boletas se emitieron para la encuesta donde la
ciudadanía deberá pronunciarse sobre si está de acuerdo en que en los
comicios de noviembre se coloque una cuarta urna para convocar a la
Constituyente que deberá redactar una nueva Constitución.

El presidente Manuel Zelaya, denunció el pasado jueves que se había
desencadenado un "proceso de golpe de Estado" en su contra, por lo que
hizo un llamado al pueblo para que no se preste al juego de las
oligarquías y para que defiendan, a su lado, el estado de derecho.

En declaraciones exclusivas a teleSUR señaló que recurrió al pueblo
"para que me defienda, para que defiendan los derechos
constitucionales del país, el estado de derecho".

Las declaraciones del primer mandatario se produjeron minutos después
de que la Corte Suprema de Justicia ordenara la restitución en su
cargo del Jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto de la Fuerza Armada, Romeo
Vásquez, removido por desobedecer las órdenes del presidente Manuel
Zela ya.

El pleno del Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) interpuso en horas del
mediodía de este jueves en el Ministerio Público una denuncia para que
esta institución proceda de inmediato a decomisar toda la logística
referente a la celebración de la encuesta de opinión que el Poder
Ejecutivo planear realizar el próximo domingo.

Tras la denuncia, el fiscal general Jorge Alberto Rubí ordenó la
integración de un equipo de fiscales encabezado por Henry Salgado,
titular de la Fiscalía Contra la Corrupción para que en conjunto con
el TSE procediera a la incautación del material.

Ante esta medida miles de hondureños se movilizaron junto a Zelaya
para rescatar el material que permaneció secuestrado en la sede de las
Fuerza Aérea del país.

Ante la negativa de los entes castrenses para la repartición del
material electoral, el mismo fue distribuido por unos 45 mil
ciudadanos de la sociedad civil hondureña.

[Judi Lynn]

6. I think they may be getting an overload of people who are trying to watch.

I've got the link you posted, and checked it to make sure. Will keep trying. Thanks.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Watching Telesur now: big turnout to show solidarity with the people of Honduras in Venezuela. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

5. Thumbnail sketch of Honduras during Reagan's time:

ROBERTO SUAZO CORDOVA
President of Honduras

Honduras was the original "Banana Republic" -- its history inextricably intertwined with that of the US-based United Fruit Company, but in 1979, when Anastasio Somoza was overthrown in Nicaragua, Honduras got a new nickname -- "The Pentagon Republic". In 1978 Honduras received $16.2 million in US aid. By 1985, it was getting $231 million, primarily because President Suazo Cordova, working with the US Ambassador and the Honduran military, allowed Honduras to become a training center for U.S. funded Nicaraguan contras. General Alvarez assisted in training programs and founded a special "hit squad", the Cobras. Victims of the Cobras were stripped, bound, thrown into pits, and tortured. The Reagan Administration claimed ignorance of these human rights violations, but US advisors have admitted knowledge. Alvarez who made enemies among his troops because he pocketed U.S. aid and because he belonged to the "Moonies", a far-right South Korean religious cult, was overthrown by the military in 1984. Suazo's ties to Alvarez cost him his bid in the next election, but death squad activity and US aid to Honduras continued. Many high ranking government and military personnel during and after Suazo's term were drug traffickers, and although the US government denies knowledge of this, there is evidence to the contrary. In fact, the US embassy was renting space from known drug dealers.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/US_ThirdWorld/dictators.html

http://usuarios.lycos.es.nyud.net:8090/alpheratz/suazo.jpg http://www.atlaswords.com.nyud.net:8090/IMAGES%2059/Roberto%20Suazo%20Cordoba%201982%20-%201984.JPG http://www.hondudiario.com.nyud.net:8090/img/felicidades_roberto_suazo_cordova.jpg

ROBERTO SUAZO CORDOVA
Honduran right-wing dictator
Neo-Nazis can't honestly make fun of Zelaya's hat without admitting their own man wore one like it!

"In Honduras, General Humberto Ragalado Hernandez, was trained at the SOA at the same time that he was linked to Columbian drug cartels, and the highest ranking officers in the Honduran Death Squad were trained at SOA as well."

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Terrorism/SOA.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~
1) One of the most feared death squads in all of Latin America is founded by Honduran SOA graduates with the help of Argentine neo-Nazis also from the SOA.

(2) In the 1990s, death squad criminals return to the SOA to inspire and train others.

The gory details �

" a course in intelligence at the school of the Americas a lot of videos which showed the type of interrogation and torture they used in Vietnam. � Although many people refuse to accept it, all this is organized by the U.S. government." � José Valle, graduate of the SOA, admitted torturer, member of Battalion 316, Inside the School of Assassins, video

Torturing was "a job, something I did to give food to my kids" � Valle, Baltimore Sun, 6/11/95

"The intelligence unit, known as Battalion 316, used shock and suffocation as devices in interrogations. Prisoners often were kept naked and, when no longer useful, killed and buried in unmarked graves. Newly declassified documents and other sources show that the CIA and the U.S. Embassy knew of numerous crimes, including murder and torture, yet continued to support Battalion 316 and collaborate with its leaders." � Baltimore Sun, 6/11/95

Battalion 316 is founded in the early eighties by General Luis Alonso Discua�graduated from the SOA three times, in 1967, 1972, and 1982�while the nation is under the repressive dictatorship of SOA graduate General Policarpo Paz García, inducted into the SOA "Hall of Fame" in 1988. Also inducted in 1988 is General Humberto Regalado Hernández�a four-time graduate in the late sixties and seventies�who, as chief of Honduran armed forces, refuses to take action against soldiers involved in Battalion 316 death squad activity, and indeed appears to cover-up at least some of that activity. � Americas Watch reports on Honduras, 1987 and 1994

Fresh from their own "Dirty War", Argentine SOA graduates such as Colonel Mario Davico move to Honduras in the early 1980s to teach Batalion 316 techniques such as arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial executions, and methods of disposing of the bodies of the victims. � Americas Watch, 1994

The return �

One year after he enters the SOA Hall of Fame, fellow officers accuse Regalado Hernández of misappropriating millions of dollars in U.S. military aid. Officers contend that equipment provided through U.S. military assistance was regularly sold to unit commanders by Regalado, who then deposited the money in a "special account". Military assistance supplies sold by Regalado ranged from batteries to tires to gasoline. Meanwhile, the Reagan administration�in 1988, the year Regalado is inducted into the SOA Hall of Fame�suspects Regalado of providing protection to Colombian drug traffickers living in Honduras. Regalado's half-brother (SOA graduate Rigoberto Regalado Lara, convicted and imprisoned in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges) tells authorities that his supplier was a close friend of General Regalado Hernández. � New York Times, 10/15/89

In 1983, several key members of Battalion 316 somehow find time in their busy schedules of organizing death squad activity for renewed training at the SOA, including Lieutenant Colonel Luis Alonso Villatoro Villeda (trained in "Administration", then commander of Battalion 316 from 1986-1988), Second Lieutenant Ramón Mejia (in charge of transporting kidnap victims from various parts of Honduras to Tegucigalpa, one of the two officers most involved in torture, interrogation and murder) and General Walter López Reyes.� Americas Watch, 1987 and 1994

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~lormand/poli/soa/honduras.htm

[roody]

7. from SOA Watch

The people of Honduras show great bravery by surrounded the Presidential Palace to support their president. General Romeo Vasquez, the head of the armed forces who led the military coup against the democratically elected president Zelaya, is a graduate of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA).

"The U.S. Army School of the Americas...is a school that has run more dictators than any other school in the history of the world."
- Congressman Joseph Kennedy (In total, the School has produced at least eleven Latin American dictators.)

Honduras - like the rest of Lati America - has first hand experience with bloody work of School of the Americas graduates and with SOA trained military dictators:

In 1975, SOA Graduate General Juan Melgar Castro became the military dictator of Honduras. From 1980-1982 the dictatorial Honduran regime was headed by, yet another SOA graduate, Policarpo Paz Garcia, who intensified repression and murder by Battalion 3-16, one of the most feared death squads in all of Latin America (founded by Honduran SOA graduates with the help of Argentine SOA graduates).

" a course in intelligence at the school of the Americas a lot of videos which showed the type of interrogation and torture they used in Vietnam. Although many people refuse to accept it, all this is organized by the U.S. government."
- José Valle, graduate of the SOA, admitted torturer, member of Battalion 316, Inside the School of Assassins, video

www.soaw.org

[rabs]

8. More details from El Heraldo in Tegucigalpa

Zelaya said the manner he was taken out of the palace was "gross."

There was a shootout when troops entered the palace. He had to take cover.

He was in his pyjamas still when he arrived at 9 a.m. in Costa Rica.

"I did not ask for asylum. The ursurpers of democracy brought me here, they took me out with bullets," Zelaya said.
(No pedí asilo, los infractores de la democracia me trajeron aquí, me sacaron a balazos", seguía comentando Zelaya.)


Costa Rica said Zelaya is there is a "guest."

He has asked his supporters in Honduras to protest his ouster. He also wants the Catholic Church to speak out.

He has asked the United States to help restore democracy in his country.

He asked that his family be safeguarded.



Tegucigalpa, Honduras
.
El presidente Manuel Rosales dijo en el aeropuerto Juan Santa María de San José Costa Rica que "fue una grosería" la forma en que las Fuerzas Armadas (FF AA) lo capturó y lo desterró.

Recordó que a eso de la 6:00 de la mañana se escuchó una balacerá en su casa, luego los militares ingresaron y lo capturaron. "Yo estaba en pijama y al salir me tocó escudarme en la azotea para protegerme de los balazos", relataba a medios costarricenses.

Los periodistas ticos narraban que a las 9:00 de la mañana, el mandatario aún se encontraba en pijama y se disponía a salir del aeropuerto para buscar donde alojarse.

La canciller de Costa Rica Giannina del Vecchio dijo que el mandatario hondureño estaba en el país en calidad de huésped.

"Quiero escuchar la voz del cardenal Rodríguez y de los pastores", imploraba el mandatario, al mismo tiempo que llamaba a sus activistas a protestar.

"No pedí asilo, los infractores de la democracia me trajeron aquí, me sacaron a balazos", seguía comentando Zelaya.

En su comparecencia desde las instalaciones del aeropuerto Augusto C. Sandino de San José, Costa Rica pidió al gobierno de Estados Unidos la restitución de la democracia en el país, y al mismo tiempo le recomendó al ministro de Seguridad Jorge Rodas Gamero proteger su familia

[rabs]

9. "Impeachment," Honduran-style

There was a poster yesterday who was insisting that there was no coup, that it was an "impeachment."

Yep, impeachment at gunpoint.



Armored cars in the streets and Honduran air force planes circuling over the capital. Guess they gotta repel any foreign warplanes :shrug:

All government offices have been "militarized."

Government TV station taken off the air.


Soldiers confiscated ballot boxes for vote that set for today.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras
.
El día que empezó con aparente calma se ha tornado tenso. Tanquetas circulan por las calles de la capital de Honduras y aviones caza de la Fuerza Aérea sobrevuelan la ciudad.

Las instituciones del Estado fueron militarizadas y el canal gubernamental suspendió sus transmisiones.

En Casa Presidencial y centros habilitados para la votación ilegal, los militares confiscan las urnas y demás material que sería utilizado hoy en la encuesta con la que se pretendía instalar una cuarta urna en las elecciones generales de noviembre para instalar una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente para derogar la actual Constitución.

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[Judi Lynn]

10. Thanks so much for providing the translated information, photos. n/t