Jump to content

2009 Honduran constitutional crisis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Allbertos (talk | contribs) at 20:00, 28 June 2009. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Politics of Honduras
Executive
Legislative
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Political parties
Foreign relations
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    Minister: Eduardo Enrique Reina

The 2009 Honduran coup d'état is an ongoing military coup d'état that started in Honduras on 28 June 2009. President Manuel Zelaya was arrested "just as dawn was breaking around 6:00 a.m."[1] at his home by his country's army, and was held in an airbase outside Tegucigalpa[1] before being flown to San José, Costa Rica.[2] The arrest of the President took place about an hour before polls were to open in a referendum to modify the constitution to eliminate term limits and allow the reelection of the President. Later in the day, the Honduran Supreme Court said it had ordered the removal of the president.[3]

With the president absent, the Constitution mandates that the head of Congress, Roberto Micheletti, acts as provisional head of state.[4] Micheletti is expected to be sworn in in the following hours.[5]

Background

President Manuel Zelaya's decision to follow through with a constitutional referendum on June 28, 2009 that was rejected by Congress and ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, has provoked a serious political crisis in the country.[6] The military is in charge of elections in Honduras but the head of the army refused to pass out the ballots. Zelaya removed him from his position but the Supreme Court ordered him reinstated. The government staged a protest in a military base and took possession of the ballots. On June 28, they were seized by the military.[2]

In addition to the Supreme Court, Zelaya's referendum was declared illegal by the Congress, the country's attorney general, and the country's top electoral body.[7][8] The Congress began discussing how to impeach Zelaya.[9]

Developments

The presidential residence was seized by military troops and surrounded by tanks. Zelaya's supporters have gathered outside the building protesting the coup. [10]

The power and telephone lines were suspended on Tegucigalpa about the time of the arrest of President Zelaya but they were restored at about 11:00 a.m. local time (19:00 GMT). Soldiers occupied several strategic areas of the capital but there are no restrictions on traffic, many stores are open, no shootings were registred, there are no further arrests being made and the ambient is quiet and calm. Some military jets overflew the capital early in the morning but they returned to their bases and at 11:30 local time (19:30 GMT) only some helicopters are patrolling in support of the police to prevent riots or looting, which have not been registred.

Within several hours of the coup, Zelaya spoke to media in San Jose, Costa Rica, calling today's events "a coup" and "a kidnapping." He stated that soldiers pulled him from his bed, and assaulted his guards. Zelaya stated that he will not recognize anyone named as his successor, and that he wants to finish his term in office. He also stated that he will now be meeting with diplomats.[11]

According to Venezuela's ambassador to the OAS the ambassadors of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua were kidnapped by the military and transported to the airport.[10] Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has stated that the Venezuelan ambassador was assaulted by Honduran soldiers and left by the side of a road.[12]

Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas has called on the public to "fight in the streets for the president to return to Honduras."[13]

Later that day, the Supreme Court issued a statement that it had ordered the army to remove Zelaya from office.[1]

The national Congress has voted to accept what they claimed is Zelaya's letter of resignation, but Zelaya has said he did not write the letter.[14]

International reaction

The Organization of American States has called for an emergency meeting.[1][15] Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza called it a military coup.

The European Union called on the Honduran military to release the president and restore constitutional order.[1]

United States President Barack Obama is said to be "deeply concerned" about the developments in Honduras. He called on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.[1][13][16]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the "coup" worthy of "troglodytes" and called for Obama to speak out because the US "has a lot to do" with what happens in Honduras.[17] Bolivian President Evo Morales, a Chavez ally, joined Chávez in the condemnation.[18] Rafael Correa, a Chavez ally who had recently changed constitution to allow his indefinite re-election, said that he will not recognize any new government in Honduras. President of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, whose relation with Chavez are close, said the events were a return to "barbaric times".

A few hours later, Chavez put his military on alert and said that he will do everything necessary to abort the coup in Honduras.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Honduran leader forced into exile". BBC News. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Honduras president detained, sent to Costa Rica, official says". CNN. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  3. ^ BBC News
  4. ^ Weissert, Will (June 28, 2009). "Soldiers arrest Honduran president, seize palace". Yahoo News. Associated Press. Retrieved June 28, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ http://www.laprensahn.com/content/view/section/244684
  6. ^ "Honduran leader defies top court". BBC News. June 26, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  7. ^ ALBA bloc leaders' main obsession: indefinite rule
  8. ^ Honduras Lurches Toward Crisis Over Election
  9. ^ "Honduras Crisis Opens Regional Rift".
  10. ^ a b Ordaz, Pablo (June 28, 2009). "El Ejército expulsa al presidente hondureño, Manuel Zelaya". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  11. ^ "Honduran president calls arrest a 'kidnapping'". The Washington Post. Associated Press. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  12. ^ http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Honduras-President-Manuel-Zelaya-Deposed-In-Coup-Venezuela-Threatens-Military-Attack/Article/200906415321924?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_0&lid=ARTICLE_15321924_Honduras_President_Manuel_Zelaya_Deposed_In_Coup%3A_Venezuela_Threatens_Military_Attack
  13. ^ a b Wilkinson, Tracy (June 28, 2009). "Coup in Honduras: President tells of his 'brutal kidnapping'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_honduras_referendum;_ylt=AtxYGOr6oiF2Ji_O_nqaJdhH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTJoMHJsbTJvBGFzc2V0Ay9hcC9sdF9ob25kdXJhc19yZWZlcmVuZHVtBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2hvbmR1cmFubWlsaQ--
  15. ^ "OEA convoca una reunión de urgencia para analizar Golpe de Estado en Honduras". El Mercurio (in Spanish). EFE. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  16. ^ "Obama calls for order as Honduran military arrests President". Fox News. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  17. ^ "Chávez califica de "troglodita" golpe de Estado contra Zelaya". La Tercera (in Spanish). EFE. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  18. ^ "Morales pidió repudiar levantamiento en Honduras". La Tercera (in Spanish). EFE. June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  19. ^ http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-40653020090628
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=2009_Honduran_constitutional_crisis&oldid=299173917"