Some Honduras lowlights, past few days

[Downwinder]

http://www.quotha.net/node/694

[Peace Patriot]

1. Some of these are VERY IMPORTANT-I wouldn't call them "lowlights"

(the word play doesn't work--just makes them seem unimportant). I'm boldfacing some items.

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• Wednesday: National Congress withdraws from ALBA (Pepe Lobo promises to keep receiving the cheap Petrocaribe oil, though)
Days preceding ALBA withdrawal: thousands protest the impending action on the streets of Tegucigalpa

• Congress debates amnesty, wanting it badly to save their own hides
Both the Frente and the ultra-right-wing Unión Cívica Democrática vehemently oppose amnesty, each arguing the other side doesn't deserve it. Zelaya also opposes it.

• An arrest warrant was issued for Generals Romeo Orlando Vásquez Velásquez, Venancio Cervantes, Carlos Antonio Cuéllar, Miguel Angel García, Luis Javier Prince and Juan Pablo Rodríguez, on mostly procedural grounds (nothing in the human rights/crimes against humanity realm).
...said arrest warrant was almost immediately suspended by the golpista judge Jorge Alberto Rivera Avilez pending the result of the amnesty debate.

• Military and paramilitary forces (the latter rumored to have been trained in Colombia; as yet I haven't heard confirmation of this) continued to amass around lands being held by the peasants who own the rightful titles in Aguán.
See this MUCA website for more: http://www.movimientomuca.blogspot.com/

• The 16-year-old son of Eduardo Maldonado—journalist with Radio Globo and Canal 12, former presidential candidate with the Liberal Party and vocal coup opponent—was kidnapped by four armed men who broke into the house, beat up Maldonado (the father) and tied up the servants and other members of the family.

• (Death threat against) Journalist Misael Cárcamo and academic José Salomón
Orellana received identical text messages on Saturday, January 9th at 1:56pm from the cell phone [phone] stating "U 2 sonsofbitches troublemakers from what is left of the resistance prepare yourselves for your shrouds." <“Uds dos hdp agitadores de lo que queda de la resistencia vayan alistando la mortaja”>

• ...and just like Pinochet, Micheletti was named Senator for Life by Congress, ensured of a salary and round-the-clock protection in perpetuity.


Comments
Thu, 01/14/2010 - 14:49 — John Donaghy
Death threats

The threats to Salomon Orellana and Miguel Carcamo came after they led a talk-in show, Dando el Clavo - Hitting the nail on the head - on the Catholic radio station in Santa Rosa de Copán, last Saturday morning.

The Catholic radio station is in the process of putting its programming on line. I'll inform you and others when this happens.

The diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán has two stations based in Santa Rosa de Copán - Radio Santa Rosa and Radio Estereo Emaús. There are also 5 other radio stations in the diocese - alternative voices.

http://www.quotha.net/node/694

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Re ALBA: The new National Congress has not been seated, nor the new president installed. The U.S. and rightwing forces want these entities to be recognized internationally though the election was held under extremely unfair, martial law conditions. Why is the coup 'congress' taking such a drastic action, as withdrawing from ALBA, and not leaving it for the new congress and president to consider? Also, how can Lobo keep getting the cheap oil from Venezuela, if Honduras has withdrawn from the trade group?

Re the Aguán community is in extreme peril. A bloodbath there is very possible. I hope that anyone who has the ability to publicize this situation further--to our government, Congress, media, human rights groups and citizens, will please do so.

Re death threats against the journalists: These threats are very serious. The tactics of brutality and murder against anti-coup activists, human rights workers, journalists, labor union leaders, teachers, community organizers and others are on-going in Honduras. And I am sorry to say that this is the result of U.S. handiwork in legitimizing the coup. The U.S. government seems to prefer this kind of rule in Latin America, even with the change of administrations from the Bushwhacks to the Democrats.

I also have to say that there was something familiar about the language of this particular threat-- "U 2 sonsofbitches troublemakers from what is left of the resistance prepare yourselves for your shrouds."--and I think it is the triumphalism of the threat: for instance "from what is left of the resistance"--which reminds me of some of the rightwing comments here at DU, regarding both Zelaya and the resistance. It is the tendency to kick someone when he is down. The sneering glee over the apparent defeat of the left. I have not seen any death threats at DU, but I have seen this attitude--the attitude of the bully. It's not a fair attitude of triumph--such as might be expressed regarding an election or some other kind of contest. It's a "stomp on you" attitude. Aside from its inappropriateness in a Democratic forum--cheering the defeat of the left, and in such a way, with a military coup--there is a menace to it, that is very Bush-like and low-minded.