Should Obama stand up for Honduras' couped President Zelaya?

[Jacobtm]

Well? This is a very complicated issue for sure, and the US has signed onto the UN's declaration calling for Zelaya's return, but should Obama be giving public support to him?

The first angle that comes to mind is this:

First thing after Zelaya was deposed, the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas held a press conference where they took sides and showed support for the democratically elected leader over the coup. If he's re-installed, the image will be that Chavez etc. were the ones who stood up for true Democracy. Side note: the US didn't.

[War on Want]

Yes, as much as I dislike Zelaya and some of his policies, he certainly beats those who couped him.

[Jacobtm]

Much better to have a disagreeable democracies than non-democracies.

[Rowan]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

[Jacobtm]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

What is it called then, when soldiers take the President from his home while he's sleeping and fly him out of his country?

[Alcon]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

What is it called then, when soldiers take the President from his home while he's sleeping and fly him out of his country?

Compulsory brunch

(But only if there's pancakes)

[Magic 8-Ball]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

What is it called then, when soldiers take the President from his home while he's sleeping and fly him out of his country?

Air Force One.

[Franzl]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

idiot

[Rowan]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

idiot

The guy was ordered arrested by the supreme court because he was trying to violate the law. That is hardly a coup.

[Хahar 🤔]

It wasn't a coup, but thanks for playing.

What is it called then, when soldiers take the President from his home while he's sleeping and fly him out of his country?

Enhanced impeachment.

[phk]

No we should nuke them.

[Jacobtm]

Enhanced impeachment.

Strangely, the Honduran constitution has no provisions for impeachment. However, it does have this provision:

42.- La calidad de ciudadano se pierde:

5. Por incitar, promover o apoyar el continuismo o la reelección del Presidente de la República

Roughly:

One loses citizenship: For inciting, promoting, or helping the continuation or the reelection of the President of the Republic.

So perhaps there's also a provision about the President needing to be a citizen, which might justify his removal, if not his exile...

Either way, a court should've been involved in the romoval, saying that the supreme court had ruled a poll he planned to hold illegal does NOT justify his exile.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Definitely. Constitutional guarantees have been suspended there, and media outlets that were sympathetic to Zelaya were shut down while ones opposed to him got to stay operating. We should put some pressure on Honduras to restore Zelaya.

[Хahar 🤔]

Enhanced impeachment.

Strangely, the Honduran constitution has no provisions for impeachment. However, it does have this provision:

42.- La calidad de ciudadano se pierde:

5. Por incitar, promover o apoyar el continuismo o la reelección del Presidente de la República

Roughly:

One loses citizenship: For inciting, promoting, or helping the continuation or the reelection of the President of the Republic.

So perhaps there's also a provision about the President needing to be a citizen, which might justify his removal, if not his exile...

Either way, a court should've been involved in the romoval, saying that the supreme court had ruled a poll he planned to hold illegal does NOT justify his exile.

Again, the Honduran Constution is a draconian document full of entrenched clauses.