Honduras Happenings

How to Save Democracy in Honduras

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:08:00 +0000

This article is right on the money...please read it.

Honduras President Roberto Micheletti blasts OAS

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:20:00 +0000

This man, President Roberto Micheletti of Honduras, should be the one awarded the Nobel Peace Prize! Please read his impassioned plea to the OAS to just get to the truth of what happened on June 28th, respect the constitution and laws of Honduras, and allow Hondurans to select a new president as prescribed by Honduran law.

Read this excellent presentation here.

--tom

You Just Can't Make Up Stuff Like This!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:47:00 +0000

After having been in Honduras during the clandestine return of Mel Zelaya and listening on occasion to Radio Globo, the propagandist radio station of Hugo Chavez and Mel Zelaya, this is now coming into focus. THESE GUYS ARE MODERN DAY HITLERS.

Check out this post with direct quotes from Radio Globo.

American Thinker Blog: Zelaya's Hitlerian propagandist

YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has introduced HR 749 which is asking the US to support the November elections in Honduras. The text of the resolution can be read here

Please read it and if you agree with it call, email, and or write your Representatives and ask them to support this bill.

Here is an example of what you can write:

“I am writing to respectfully request that you support and co-sponsor H. Res. 749 as the best solution to end the political crisis in Honduras. Please notify me of your decision and thank you for the support that you have demonstrated for Honduras.”

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT REALLY IS UP TO US!!

--tom

READ THIS!! READ THIS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:06:00 +0000

This is far and away the best article on the Honduras situation I have ever seen...Please READ THIS.

Wouldn't This Solve the Whole Issue?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:41:00 +0000

It seems to me that free, fair and open elections would solve the whole problem in Honduras...Why not let them proceed?

Mary O'Grady of the Wall Street Journal says the same thing in this article....

I Can't Stand It!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:04:00 +0000

After reading the text of some of the speeches delivered at the UN today in support of Mel Zelaya I couldn't help but post here again.

The amount of mis information delivered today is nothing but unadulterated hooey! (I'm trying to not use my farmer talk here) I have been watching TV for 3 days straight locked up in a motel in Comayagua, and have seen the footage broadcast and listened to the government officials explain what they are doing and why, and it make sense. They are not here abusing people and attacking the Brazilian embassy or otherwise even hinting at the desire for anything more than an open and fair election in November. Who is the one advocating for violence, death, and a change in the electoral and constitutional process? Zelaya. The very man these people are supporting in the UN.

This is very sad.

If you don't believe me check this out.

Still Under Curfew!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:26:00 +0000

I've been trying to get an update posted but the internet connections we have had on this trip have been pretty poor. Right now it seems to be good so here we go.

Bryan and I arrived on Monday 9/14 and after looking at a truck we may be buying headed right out to the villages. We celebrated Honduran Independence day in La Masica with the the people and children of the village. It was a real pleasure and honor to celebrate an important day in the culture of this country with the people. The children, with the help of the teacher, put on skits depicting important events in the history of Honduras and they did a great job. It always amazes me the things they can accomplish with the limited resources they have.

The next day we began looking at some new villages, one of which we may be adopting soon. It is a bit frustrating because every community has pressing needs but we can't do everything, so some of them we will not be able to help.

We were then surprised by the return of the exiled president of the country Mel Zelaya. With his return there has been a curfew enacted for 3 days now. The purpose is to try to stop his supporters from initiating acts of violence to which he has been calling them. Even with the curfew there have been serious acts of vandalism and looting in the cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. Fortunately we are not in either of those cities and are safe in our hotel. We are getting a little bored and are very hopeful that the airport will be able to re-open tomorrow and that we will be able to leave for the US.

We ask for your continued prayers and good wishes for the wonderful people of Honduras as they navigate their way through these troubled times they are in. I have been saying this since the legal and constitutional removal of Zelaya on June 28th, that this is going to be a good thing for the country in the long run. I still firmly believe that!

Viva Honduras!!

--tom

Free, Fair and Open Elections

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:32:00 +0000

If you believe in Democracy then read this post by La Gringa.
These elections will be the most transparent in History. How then can the world not recognize the new president who will take office in January of 2010?

Honduran elections - The candidates

How Elections Are Run in Honduras

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Below is a link and the text of a post from La Gringa. She is a mind reader because I was going to write a similar post explaining how elections work in Honduras but she beat me to it and did a wonderful job.

The only way for the world to recognize the electoral process that will take place in November is for the elections to be free, open, and massive. We are hoping and praying that the voter turn out will be the largest in Honduran history and that the transparency will be unprecedented.

The violent Zelaya supporters are threatening people and are trying to get the population to boycott the election. Which is more productive? A fair honest and open electoral process or a brutal fearful boycott? Seems quite obvious to me.

Honduran elections - The TSE

The government does not run the elections in Honduras. A special committee called the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE in Spanish) is the one that does all that. The TSE is an independent, autonomous institution that has nothing to do with any of the three branches of government. TSE runs the whole election show, not Micheletti, not Zelaya, not the military, not the congress, not the Supreme Court, but the TSE.

If you need proof that the TSE is independent:

In 1981 when Honduras was under military rule, the military and the Nationalist Party ran the three branches of government and the Liberal party won those elections.

In 1989 the Liberal Party controlled the three branches of government and the Nationalist Party won those elections.

In 1993 the Nationalist Party ran the three branches of government and the Liberal Party won those elections.

In 2001 the Liberal Party controlled the three branches of government and the Nationalist Party won those elections

And finally, in 2005 when Mel Zelaya of the Liberal Party won the election, the Nationalist Party controlled the three branches of government.

How could all of this have happened in a third world country that does not respect the law or the constitution, where coups happen all the time, and where people are still stuck in the 1970's? Simple, the TSE is a democratic, autonomous, independent institution (Article 51 of the constitution).

The three magistrates of the TSE and the substitute member are selected by congress and serve a 5-year term. The current magistrates were chosen in May 2009, under Mel Zelaya's administration. Nominees for the TSE cannot be directors of any political party or political candidates. During their tenure, they can not assume any paid position except for teacher. They may not participate directly or indirectly in any political activity in any manner except to exercise their suffrage in the elections. (Article 52 of the constitution.)

The TSE has asked several countries to observe the elections and would like to have thousands of observers. They have also indicated that citizens will be allowed to observe the counting of ballots in the polling places. The magistrates have promised the most open, fair, and transparent elections ever.

International observers could help to verify that for the world.

My Honduran Brothers and Sisters Make Me Proud!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

In a letter to Hillary Clinton after it was announced that she was cutting off aid to Honduras, one of the government officials of Honduras, Óscar Matute, said the following. (my translation)

"In the long history of the world few generations are given the role to defend liberty in the moments in which it is in the most danger."

Who said that originally?

John F. Kennedy

Óscar Matute went on to say, "None of us would change places with any other person in any other generation, we are a peaceful people with deep Christian values and we have forged ahead in the struggle with hoe and rifle and have built our character in one of the most difficult geographies in the Americas."

God Bless Honduras! (no one else is)

The Spanish text came from this article in La Prensa one of the major newspapers in Honduras. The translation is mine.

--tom

I Can't Believe They Did This!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Below is the text of a release from the US State Department suspending all Humanitarian Aid to Honduras. AMAZING!! I can't say any more.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

For Immediate Release September 3, 2009
2009/869

STATEMENT BY IAN KELLY

Termination of Assistance and Other Measures Affecting the De Facto Regime in Honduras

The Department of State announces the termination of a broad range of assistance to the government of Honduras as a result of the coup d’etat that took place on June 28. The Secretary already had suspended assistance shortly after the coup.

The Secretary of State has made the decision, consistent with U.S. legislation, recognizing the need for strong measures in light of the continued resistance to the adoption of the San Jose Accord by the de facto regime and continuing failure to restore democratic, constitutional rule to Honduras.

The Department of State recognizes the complicated nature of the actions which led to June 28 coup d’etat in which Honduras’ democratically elected leader, President Zelaya, was removed from office. These events involve complex factual and legal questions and the participation of both the legislative and judicial branches of government as well as the military.

Restoration of the terminated assistance will be predicated upon a return to democratic, constitutional governance in Honduras.

The Department of State further announces that we have identified individual members and supporters of the de facto regime whose visas are in the process of being revoked.

A presidential election is currently scheduled for November. That election must be undertaken in a free, fair and transparent manner. It must also be free of taint and open to all Hondurans to exercise their democratic franchise. At this moment, we would not be able to support the outcome of the scheduled elections. A positive conclusion of the Arias process would provide a sound basis for legitimate elections to proceed. We strongly urge all parties to the San Jose talks to move expeditiously to agreement.

Apologies..

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:28:00 +0000

I'm sorry this blog has gotten off course. I have been extremely burdened with the happenings in the political world of Honduras and they are very much intermingled with the political life here in the US right now. This is a very pivotal time in the history of Honduras and I cannot ignore what is taking place there.

At some point in the near future I will again be posting the highlights of the work we are doing with the villagers, but until things settle down please be patient and keep the people of Honduras in you prayers.

Starting last winter I began praying the Franciscan Benediction. In part it says, "God bless me with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so I can work for justice, freedom, and peace." God has certainly given me that blessing, and I must do everything I can to see this thing through in Honduras. Won't you join me??

--tom

Zelaya Wants What Best for Honduras..NOT!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Right!! Zelaya wants whats best for the country...uhhh huhh. He is asking the US to declare the actions of June 28th a Military Coup. That would result in the removal of 100% of the US aid to Honduras. How does that help the people Mel?? (Insert vulgarity of your choice here)

Check out the article here.

Simply Amazing!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:02:00 +0000

This guy, Óscar Arias, president of Costa Rica is the guy who came up with the San Jose Accord and tried to force it on Honduras. The terms were that they were to take Zelaya back with full amnesty among other things. Guess what? ...Now he wants to change the constitution of Costa Rica! The very thing Zelaya wanted to do in Honduras. You don't think his intentions had any effect on his "impartiality" in proposing the San Jose Accord do you?

Where in the world did honesty, integrity, and impartiality go? My Hair Hurts!!

Protest in front of White House

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:15:00 +0000

What Honduras Believes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000

This was copied from the blog site http://lagringasblogicito.blogspot.com
I did not just link to it because there are some comments in response to this article that could ruffle some political feathers.

The following are just the facts and a verbatim translation of the letter written in Spanish.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009
An open letter from the Honduran Foreign Minister

SECRETARIA DE RELACIONES EXTERIORES
DE LA REPUBLICA DE HONDURAS
An Open Letter to the Citizens of the World
from Carlos López Contreras,
Foreign Minister of Honduras

As citizens of an increasingly smaller and interconnected global community, we are all responsible for respecting one other and for creating a better world together. Our diverse cultures, religions, and forms of government must continually search for ways to understand one another and work together.

In Honduras, we have always worked diligently to uphold this responsibility as inhabitants of a global village. We have always remained steadfast in our commitment, and this past month is no exception. In fact, it is an example of what we must all vow to do from time to time: hold true to the principals of democracy and the rule of law while protecting the human and civil rights of our fellow citizens in the face of criticism and misunderstanding by certain sectors of the international community.

Let me be clear about what we as Hondurans believe. We believe in the rights of every person to freely express themselves and their beliefs so long as it is done in accordance with the rule of law. We encourage full and equal participation in political discourse and believe that a free and unfettered press is a valuable part of that discourse. We believe that the Honduran government must act in accordance with the Constitution that establishes and limits its power to govern.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I am charged with representing the Honduran government and its people before the world. Now more than ever, my job is to bring an understanding to our shared global community of our dedication to uphold these beliefs, and ask each of you to consider our views as we consider yours.

Yes, Manuel Zelaya was democratically elected as the Honduran President. We cherish democracy.

Yes. as President, he did abuse his power and violate the Constitution. We respect our Constitution.

Yes. his powers as President were automatically forfeited after our Attorney General investigated the violation and our Supreme Court ruled that the violation had occurred. We respect the rule of law.

Yes, the military was ordered to arrest him as part of their Constitutional duty. We know this appearance might seem troubling to some, but it is clearly written in our Constitution -and has always been a part of our Constitution.

Yes, it was a mistake to remove Manuel Zelaya, a Honduran national, from the country. We admit the error and are aware that there are consequences.

Those consequences are that the Constitution and rule of law must be upheld. And so, the Attorney General opened an investigation into the expatriation of Manuel Zelaya on July 4th, and we await the findings of this investigation.

We, the Honduran people, firmly believe that those consequences are not any of the following:

• The restitution of the Presidential powers of Manuel Zelaya. This is not an option the Honduran Constitution grants to the government. In fact, it is clear that the exact opposite must take place. No powers under any circumstances.

• The granting of amnesty to Manuel Zelaya by the executive branch. This is a proscribed duty of the Congress. and the Congress alone. This is their power. and theirs alone.

• The unilateral decision to negotiate breaking articles of the Constitution in order to satisfy some members of the international community. Popular opinion by powerful nations does not rule our nation, and should not rule any country.

Please consider what is being asked of our country: Break the Constitution. Ignore the rule of law.

We simply can not do this because of a mistake in expatriating a Honduran national who had been Constitutionally stripped of the powers that democracy provided to him only to have him abuse them.

We would never ask another nation to ignore its Constitution and trample on the rule of law much less purposely violate its Constitution to please our opinion.

Each day, our citizens wake up and hope that through our insistence and dedication that we can bring understanding to others. We are thankful to friends who have courageously spoken up on our behalf. We are grateful for their support, and are humbled that they have chosen to work selflessly alongside us to bring other nations to understanding our commitment to democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law.

We are a little country among the community of nations but our nation's larger mission is to protect human rights, democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law. We are confident that these are values worth standing firmly in order to uphold. We invite the world to examine our true intentions and decide for themselves. As we prepare to hold free and fair elections this coming November, our faith in these principles could not be more clear.

This Breaks My Heart!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:45:00 +0000

This is the text of an email sent to me from a friend of a friend who is Honduran and lives in Tegucigalpa. A REAL HONDURAN PERSON not a plant or a made up story of some kind.

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Dear Friends.

I hope that you are all doing fine. I am writing to ask for continued prayers for Honduras and its people. Today, there was chaos on the streets. We didn't know were the noises were coming from...but you could see the manifestations had just passed that street. All the walls painted with graffitti. It's sooo sad!! Houses, apartments, schools...all vandalized.

Besides, more pressure on Honduras...the US has cancelled giving US visas to Honduras. Mexico is threatening halt commercial activities with our country...and in the middle of everything us Hondurans, trying to figure out why the International community is against us and wanting for Honduras a dictator, and also knowing all that the bad things he did for the country and against the laws??

So, it gets stressful sometimes. Like today, caught in the middle of the riot....Please keep praying for God's mercy over Honduras.

Thanks, God Bless,

PATRICIA BARJUM

Jehová hace nulo el consejo de las naciones, y frustra las maquinaciones de los pueblos. El consejo de Jehová permanecerá para siempre; Los pensamientos de SU corazón por todas las generaciones. Bienaventurada la nación cuyo Dios es Jehová (Salmo 33:10-12)

So What Do the Real People of Honduras Think?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:41:00 +0000

I was going to write a post very similar to this one. La Gringa saved me a lot of time. PLEASE READ THIS. The results of several surveys done by a respected TV station are very revealing of the feelings of the REAL people of Honduras.

Do they think the US has abandoned them? Check it out.

Honduras: Yes, we can!

Right On!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:21:00 +0000

I don't know who Dennis Prager is but he is right on with this excerpt from one of his articles...I'm going to Honduras in September---regardless.
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Let there be no ambiguity here. Little Honduras was supposed to be the next country to lose its liberties as it joined the anti-American, pro-Iranian Latin American left. But Little Honduras decided to fight back. And this has infuriated Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who will surely attempt to foment violence in Honduras.

Therefore, if you love liberty, you will do whatever you can do help Honduras resist Chavez and his allies, which include the United Nations and Organization of American States.

There are many ways to do that. Buy Honduran goods. Write your representatives in Washington to back the present, law-based Honduran government. And, yes, even visit this friendly beleaguered place. When the world's governments isolate a country, with few exceptions, that's all you need to know about who the good guys are.

Zelayistas attack a 71-year-old man

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:12:00 +0000

These are the type of people who are supporting Zelaya. Some are imported from Venezuela and Nicaragua, some are paid by them, and some are just jerks!

Zelayistas attack a 71-year-old man

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Honduras, free, sovereign, and independent

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Please read this!! A very short article from a Honduran law student. It is very insightful.

Honduras, free, sovereign, and independent

Honduras from a Latin American Point of View

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:24:00 +0000

This wise latina was born in Latin America and has an interesting point of view in this article.

The position of the Catholic Church in Honduras

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Wow! This is an address made on July 3rd directed at Mel Zelaya by his close friend and pastor Cardinal Rodriguez. Cardinal Rodriguez was nominated as a potential successor to Pope John Paul II in April 2005. The Catholic church is hardly a right wing organization so his comments are rather enlightening.

The position of the Catholic Church in Honduras

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Zelayistas provoke chaos in Tegucigalpa

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Muhlbeier) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:55:00 +0000

Have any of you seen anything about this in our media??

Zelayistas provoke chaos in Tegucigalpa

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