Smarty McBarrelpants
10-31-2009, 05:19 PM
Linkie: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/30/honduras-zelaya-deal-coup
Coup leaders in Honduras have accepted a US-brokered deal allowing the ousted president, Manuel Zelaya, to return to power and resolve central America's gravest political crisis since the end of the cold war.
The de facto government led by Roberto Micheletti said it would sign an accord reinstating the leftist leader in a national unity government, raising hopes that a dangerous standoff which has increased tension across the region will end without further bloodshed.
"It is a triumph for Honduran democracy," said Zelaya, who was toppled in a military coup four months ago. "This signifies my return to power in the coming days, and peace for Honduras."
If it holds - analysts cautioned things could still go wrong - the deal will be a significant foreign policy success for the Obama administration and boost its standing across Latin America. Speaking from Pakistan, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton called it "an historic agreement", adding: "This is a big step forward for the inter-American system."
Under the deal Zelaya will return to office and share power with his adversaries; both sides will recognise the result of a 29 November presidential election, which will choose a new leader. If not re-elected, Zelaya would step down in January when his successor is sworn in.
The de facto government was expected to sign the accord today. "I have authorised my negotiating team to sign a deal that marks the beginning of the end of the country's political situation," Micheletti told reporters after the breakthrough last night. He said Zelaya would return to office after a vote in congress which would be authorised by the supreme court.
"This is encouraging but caution is in order," said Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue thinktank. "This episode has had more than its share of bizarre twists and turns. The mistrust and bitterness between both sides should not be underestimated and could still complicate [the deal's] implementation."
The crisis broke in June when soldiers arrested Zelaya in his pyjamas and bundled him into exile. The logger turned president had angered conservative foes, including congress, the supreme court and his own party by allying with Venezuela's socialist president, Hugo Chávez.
Many middle-class Hondurans cheered the ouster but the poor protested, prompting curfews, media curbs and security force crackdowns which left several dead and dozens wounded. Latin American governments called it a dark and anachronistic return to an era of authoritarian repression.
On 21 September, Zelaya slipped back into Honduras - reportedly in the boot of a car - and found refuge at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, from where he tried to rally support. For the past 40 days troops have surrounded the compound and tried to wear down Zelaya, and several dozen supporters camped inside, by limiting food supplies and blasting rock music and recorded pig grunts.
International condemnation of the coup was near universal, turning the de facto regime into a pariah, but it dragged out negotiations with Zelaya envoys in an apparent effort to run down the clock to November's election, hoping it would wipe the slate clean.
The US, European Union and Latin American leaders threatened not to recognise the election unless Zelaya was first restored. That message was forcefully repeated in recent days by a US team led by Tom Shannon, the assistant secretary of state, and Dan Restrepo, Washington's special assistant for western hemisphere affairs.
The threat of continued isolation appeared to convince the regime to compromise, said Shifter. "The sober presentation of that stark prospect seems to have been decisive."
Zelaya's supporters inside the embassy celebrated news of the deal. It could signal an imminent end to a siege which has left them defiant but weary, not least because of overcrowding, monotony and lack of beds.
Some climbed onto walls to take photos of the soldiers outside, others posed with "Mel" (Zelaya's nickname) and asked him to autograph a white cowboy hat similar to his own. There were chants of Viva Mel, Viva USA, Viva Brazil and Viva Lula, in reference to Brazil's president.
Zelaya's aide, Carlos Reina, said it might be another week before the siege ended and the former president returned to power.
In short, the Honduran coup appears to be reaching an end as the rebels agree to a deal to return Zelaya to office in time for national elections.
I think the interesting thing about this, and why I posted it, is that this is a US brokered peace deal. Zelaya is fairly left-wing and friends with Chavez and the US has been pretty hostile to him in the past, especially with Bush and the coup would have been pleasing to their interests.
But now US is brokering a peace deal to return him to power and doing it quite well it seems. Is this a new direction for the US?
I'm very very critical of Obama and his misleading popular appeal but is this some sign of actual progress on his cabinets part or just a flash in the pan.
Coup leaders in Honduras have accepted a US-brokered deal allowing the ousted president, Manuel Zelaya, to return to power and resolve central America's gravest political crisis since the end of the cold war.
The de facto government led by Roberto Micheletti said it would sign an accord reinstating the leftist leader in a national unity government, raising hopes that a dangerous standoff which has increased tension across the region will end without further bloodshed.
"It is a triumph for Honduran democracy," said Zelaya, who was toppled in a military coup four months ago. "This signifies my return to power in the coming days, and peace for Honduras."
If it holds - analysts cautioned things could still go wrong - the deal will be a significant foreign policy success for the Obama administration and boost its standing across Latin America. Speaking from Pakistan, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton called it "an historic agreement", adding: "This is a big step forward for the inter-American system."
Under the deal Zelaya will return to office and share power with his adversaries; both sides will recognise the result of a 29 November presidential election, which will choose a new leader. If not re-elected, Zelaya would step down in January when his successor is sworn in.
The de facto government was expected to sign the accord today. "I have authorised my negotiating team to sign a deal that marks the beginning of the end of the country's political situation," Micheletti told reporters after the breakthrough last night. He said Zelaya would return to office after a vote in congress which would be authorised by the supreme court.
"This is encouraging but caution is in order," said Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue thinktank. "This episode has had more than its share of bizarre twists and turns. The mistrust and bitterness between both sides should not be underestimated and could still complicate [the deal's] implementation."
The crisis broke in June when soldiers arrested Zelaya in his pyjamas and bundled him into exile. The logger turned president had angered conservative foes, including congress, the supreme court and his own party by allying with Venezuela's socialist president, Hugo Chávez.
Many middle-class Hondurans cheered the ouster but the poor protested, prompting curfews, media curbs and security force crackdowns which left several dead and dozens wounded. Latin American governments called it a dark and anachronistic return to an era of authoritarian repression.
On 21 September, Zelaya slipped back into Honduras - reportedly in the boot of a car - and found refuge at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, from where he tried to rally support. For the past 40 days troops have surrounded the compound and tried to wear down Zelaya, and several dozen supporters camped inside, by limiting food supplies and blasting rock music and recorded pig grunts.
International condemnation of the coup was near universal, turning the de facto regime into a pariah, but it dragged out negotiations with Zelaya envoys in an apparent effort to run down the clock to November's election, hoping it would wipe the slate clean.
The US, European Union and Latin American leaders threatened not to recognise the election unless Zelaya was first restored. That message was forcefully repeated in recent days by a US team led by Tom Shannon, the assistant secretary of state, and Dan Restrepo, Washington's special assistant for western hemisphere affairs.
The threat of continued isolation appeared to convince the regime to compromise, said Shifter. "The sober presentation of that stark prospect seems to have been decisive."
Zelaya's supporters inside the embassy celebrated news of the deal. It could signal an imminent end to a siege which has left them defiant but weary, not least because of overcrowding, monotony and lack of beds.
Some climbed onto walls to take photos of the soldiers outside, others posed with "Mel" (Zelaya's nickname) and asked him to autograph a white cowboy hat similar to his own. There were chants of Viva Mel, Viva USA, Viva Brazil and Viva Lula, in reference to Brazil's president.
Zelaya's aide, Carlos Reina, said it might be another week before the siege ended and the former president returned to power.
In short, the Honduran coup appears to be reaching an end as the rebels agree to a deal to return Zelaya to office in time for national elections.
I think the interesting thing about this, and why I posted it, is that this is a US brokered peace deal. Zelaya is fairly left-wing and friends with Chavez and the US has been pretty hostile to him in the past, especially with Bush and the coup would have been pleasing to their interests.
But now US is brokering a peace deal to return him to power and doing it quite well it seems. Is this a new direction for the US?
I'm very very critical of Obama and his misleading popular appeal but is this some sign of actual progress on his cabinets part or just a flash in the pan.