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I agree with your thoughts. I have participated in various U.S. Special Forces operations in latin america, under the pretense of drug eradication. Now that I am retired, I can never set foot in any other latin american country, other than Costa Rica. Most americans could care less about latin america, and the vast amount of monies that are spent and paid to various latin american governments. U.S. Special Forces train many of the soldiers in various latin american countries, for self defense, drug eradication and even a coup here and there.
Imx,,
you seem intelligent enough to comprehend that there is not that much difference between our so called two parties. It doesn’t matter a lick who gets elected from the two major parties, the same people are runing things the same old way. All that changes is rhetoric and some faces.Obama will keep the war machine well oiled. He will keep the banksters and the insurance companies and big pharma all as happy as the peoples’ ignorance and apathy will permit. There are only two forces that can change things substantially: armed revolt or a complete breakdown of the system on its own faults. The people are too fat, deluded and apathetic to muster any kind of revolution so that leaves the latter alternative.
I listen to the Ticos speak glowingly of their country’s politics and I sometimes think it sounds naive but maybe it’s just me. Perhaps my outlook has been jaded by so many years living inside a decrepit and self deluding empire.
Well I’m cursing the Costa Rican President and the ousted Honduran President and the man that took over because I live a few hundred meters way from the President’s house where they have been meeting today and where they are now being entertained…
I can literally hear every word of the song that’s being sung right now … Admittedly it’s actually very pleasant music.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comHmmmm, living that close to a Central American president. One minute, that safest place, the next…?
Sergio Mendez to ratatattat.Well at least you don’t have to worry too much about tanks waking you in the middle of the night Scott!
As for the talks… sorry to see Oscar putting himself into the middle of this one… but the Cuba and China moves he’s made are a clear signal of his leanings these days…. I wish him the best of luck!
Hi IMX. So, your position is that the President of Costa Rica (I’m just not on a first name basis with world leaders), a Nobel Prize recipient for brokering peace in Central America, is NOT qualified to step forward?
Is it also your position that having business and diplomatic ties with China and Cuba is NOT in the best interests of Costa Rica?edlreed, I couldn’t agree with you more on this one, better the President of Costa Rica mediating than someone with less balanced vision.
As for the relationships with China, Cuba and Venezuela, what is wrong with diversification and competition. With links to these nations, it makes the US play on a more level playing field. Probably something they don’t like, but oh well…Hey Ed… I didn’t say he wasn’t qualified… the man has earned his reputation as a negotiator… I said I was sorry to see him get into the middle of this one! I don’t see how someone that has already made his position well know on the world stage as to the situation can be seen as an “independent” mediator looking to broker a deal. Would you be surprised if Micheletti feels that Oscar is less than impartial? And as I’ve said before, we’ll have to see how this one plays out in Honduras in the long run. It would be a shame to see Oscar broker Zeleya’s return only to see Honduras become another Venezuela! He may have earned a Nobel prize that was well deserved, but then again, so did Moniz in 1949… and history has shown us that we don’t always get it right! Heck the Soviets figured that out a year after Moniz was honored calling his work “contrary to the principles of humanity”… and that’s the SOVIETS!
As for trade and diplomatic relations with China and Cuba… I guess the folks that will be enjoying the New Soccer Stadium and all the other goodies China has lavished on Costa Rica since dumping Taiwan may not mind… but for a man that champions peace, democracy, and human rights Oscar sure does keep strange company. These “new” friends send quite a message about the inner workings of the man and his real principles and how willing he is to walk the walk after he talks the talk! We’re not always judged by our actions… many times we’re judged by the company we keep. Jesus may have kept some rough company, but then again… he managed to walk on water and feed the masses with a load of bread and couple of fish… let’s see if Oscar is up to the task! LOL
PS… I don’t think Oscar would mind calling you Ed… so go for it… he’s just a guy like you and me! LOL
So, Jesus. Walk on water. Good historical context.
I’m gonna ask again. Who (in the form of a person of status on the Central American or world stage) or what government has come out in support of this coup?
You have someone in mind better suited and more acceptable to both parties? Throw a name out there.
I think that a country with no army should take pride in that their leader (whoever he is) is in a position to possibly contribute to peace. I take pride, in my way and without presumption, for the Costa Ricans. It deserves respect and honors them. Funny how the same path and choices leads us to such disparate possibilities. Actually, not funny at all. Strange.Hey Ed… Sorry if the Jesus reference was a problem for you… not your cup of tea I guess, perhaps the Moniz one was more to your liking?
So… What elected official would (or has) come out in favor of a coup? NONE… The very endorsement of the idea (a coup) is a threat to their very position so why would they? But then again, are these same world leaders (that have passed judgment already on the events in Honduras… and so quickly I might add) claiming they’re more knowledgeable than the Honduras Supreme Court, it’s Elected Congress, and the Military as to the situation, the facts, inner workings, problems, and politics of Honduras?
It would seem these same world leaders have enough on their plates already and have real trouble leading their own countries to have the time to be MORE informed as to Honduran politics then that of the folks that are DIRECTLY involved in the situation. Yet that hasn’t stopped them from making their judgment on the situation has it? They all jumped in line immediately… including the US President.
I’ll ask you a question… How many of these same world leaders do you think made an INFORMED decision as to their position after taking into account the facts and circumstances involved… and how many just played follow the leader? My position is that the Supreme Court and the Congress of Honduras are in a much better position to judge this situation and their response then the world leaders you point to… or you and I for that matter. Yet it seems no one has the desire to listen. It seems the judgment was made overnight by these world leaders. And who might I ask was supporting Zeleya’s attempts to change the Constitution if the Law, the Supreme Court, the Congress, and the Military were against it?
Perhaps the judgment of these world leaders was based on the action (coup) rather then the reasons for it. Certainly NOT the way to choose sides! This wasn’t your normal military coup dreamed up by some rouge General that seizes power.
It was the organized removal of a President that had gone off the reservation after being WARNED by the ELECTED Congress and the Supreme court that he was taking actions contrary to the law. And it was carried out with the full support of the Congress and Supreme Court. Perhaps recent history in Central/South America gave these folks a VERY good idea about where things were going. Perhaps not the cleanest way to resolve the problem, but other then a bruised ego Zelaya came out alright.As for finding someone to mediate the situation, while I don’t have a person in mind… perhaps someone that hasn’t come out so strongly in favor of one side and provided sanctuary and a political platform to that same person would be more likely to succeed. Placing Oscar in this position allows for failure because of his previously stated position. A GOOD mediator doesn’t place himself in that position and then think he can succeed. So when things breakdown in these talks these same world leaders will condemn Micheletti as unwilling to negotiate… yet can you REALLY claim it was a level playing field?
I do hope Oscar finds a way of getting himself out of this… because no matter how it works out there’s going to be a problem… NO winners. Perhaps if Zaleya had Hugo’s oil wealth he could have pulled this off… blind the poor with some crumbs and grease the palms of the greedy but stupid.
Edited on Jul 09, 2009 22:57
They don’t come out against this legal take over of the government because they are pussies. Plain and simple. this guy went against the Honduran constitution and was legally removed.
Since when is a military take over a legal move? That is state terrorism, pure and simple. It is sad how quickly people will throw away their constitution and begin hugging their army when they are frightened.I think that happened in Germany last century, didn’t it?
~ Military men are the scourges of the world ~
Guy de MaupassantEdited on Jul 10, 2009 07:51
“Since when is a military take over a legal move?”… A better question perhaps is… Since when does a president ignore his Constitution, the direction of his Congress and the ruling of his Supreme Court and attempt to get his military to carry out his wishes anyway?
But is it the Military that’s running Honduras now? It doesn’t seem that way! The Military took action based on the direction of the Supreme Court and the Congress of Honduras. And remember it was Zelaya that attempted to USE the military to run his attempts to get around the Honduran Constitution after being told NOT to do so nor receiving the support of the Congress and the Supreme Court. When the military said NO he fired the military leader. If ANYONE was attempting to undermine the Constitution of Honduras using the Military it was Zaleya himself! And I have to ask once again… if the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Military were not with Zelaya in his actions… WHO WAS? Who had his ear… where was he getting his direction? I guess he underestimated his power as well as the intelligence and determination of the other parts of government he chose to ignore. Bad move on his part!
As to your reference to Germany… you got the characters wrong… if comparing situations it was Zelaya that would have been cast in the role of Hitler…
This coup was the result of Zelaya’s attempts at changing the rules… and he was clearly warned! The constitution of Honduras stands, free and open elections will be held later this year, and the world will go on. The big question is how far Hugo and the gang will go to reinstall Zelaya… and what type of response the world will have then if Hugo’s tanks cross the boarder to reposition Zelaya at a post when he doesn’t have the support of law… his courts… his congress…. and military! Then the real choices will have to be made by these so called world leaders that have made their judgment. We’ll have to see how this one plays out!
Edited on Jul 10, 2009 12:09
Explain what Zeleya did that was unconstitutional. If he had broken a law, the legal path to address such a problem is through the courts. Instead an illegal military coupe was taken. It is very simple. I may disagree with his intentions to try for a constitutionl change permitting him additional time in office, but I am more in disagreement with using the military to impose an opposing view. If you agree with use of the military for such matters, where does it stop? You might look to Argentina’s and Chile’s past for an answer to that one.
Edited on Jul 10, 2009 10:44
Good points Sprite. As for Zelaya’s conduct. He was attempting to place a public referendum out that was in direct violation of the Constitution of Honduras… something apparently placed in the Constitution to avoid this very situation… something he had been advised not to do by his Congress as well as the Supreme court… so his answer was to go ahead with his plans anyway and called on the MILITARY to make it happen. I’m pretty sure that’s NOT how it’s suppose to happen in the Constitution of Honduras. He was attempting to USE the military to override the express instruction of the Congress and the Supreme Court! So there you have a second violation, the act itself and the means by which he was attempting to do it.
When the military leader declined he FIRED him. Does this sound like someone that was going to play by the rules and have the courts remove him? Chances are he would have fired the Supreme Court as well as the Congress… right from the Hugo book of streamlining government! LOL I’m pretty sure Hugo made short work of his congress and the courts when they expressed an opposing position to his.
So what are we left with in Honduras, a largely intact functioning elected government with a newly appointed president minus a former leader that thought he was above the other parts of government that said NO to his plans to violate their Constitution. A country that’s minus a man that was unwilling to listen to this Congress and the Courts and instead attempted to use his MILITARY to impose his wishes. An independent judiciary that is willing to stand it’s ground… and a military that’s smart enough to understand how the balance of power works in government. Sounds like a pretty good thing to me!
As well as elections that will occur in November… and a bunch of world leaders that jumped too quickly siding with someone that might not REALLY be wearing the white hat will have to wait and see how Hugo and the gang take this setback! We’ll see how “worldly” these leaders are then!
And while you make it sound as if this was action taken independently by the military that wasn’t the case. It was undertaken by the military at the request, and with the full support of, the elected Congress and the Supreme Court. And since these actions were the results not of a solo rouge Military leader and have been carried out by the elected Congress of Honduras as well as the Supreme Court… do you think they got it wrong and the only one right here is Zeleya? This wasn’t the case of a select few “using the military to impose an opposing view”… this was one man attempting to do so and having the checks and balances in place to insure democracy rise up and put him in his place.
Edited on Jul 10, 2009 12:03
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