US Suspends some aid to Honduras as SOUTHCOM Commander confirms the plane that kidnapped Zelaya took off from the Soto Cano (US air base) in Honduras
Today's press statementfrom the Department of State
"Termination of Assistance and Other Measures Affecting the De Facto Regime in Honduras
Ian Kelly
Department Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 3, 2009
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."
NOTE: Humanitarian aid from USAID still continues to Honduras - so does the aid to "promote democracy", ie fund political parties, groups and NGOs involved in executing the coup and consolidating the dictatorial regime. So, don't see this as any great advance. The National Endowment for Democracy funds via International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute remain in effect and continue to those political groups that have publicly backed the coup regime. Same goes for the large majority (approximately 80%) of USAID funds to Honduras. So, really the DOS decision does not affect most of the funding to political groups in Honduras that promoted the coup.
Ironically, the US seems to be "coming clean" in its own manipulative way regarding the coup in Honduras. SOUTHCOM Commander, General Douglas Fraser, confirmed today what many of us suspected from day one of the coup, that the airplane that forced President Zelaya into exile after kidnapping him violently on June 28th from his residence, actually took off for Costa Rica from the Soto Cano (Palmerola) military base, which has been occupied and run by the Pentagon since 1954 (actively since the early 1980s). Here is a link to an article translated (not perfectly) into English. Strangely, not much English-language press is reporting this most important detail regarding the Honduran coup, which clearly shows US involvement and lying. Up until now the Pentagon had denied the Honduran president's airplane had landed at the Soto Cano (Palmerola) base...
For those who didn't believe in the beginning that the US had a major hand in the coup against President Zelaya in Honduras, the pieces are coming together now, from the belly of the beast.
"Termination of Assistance and Other Measures Affecting the De Facto Regime in Honduras
Ian Kelly
Department Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 3, 2009
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."
NOTE: Humanitarian aid from USAID still continues to Honduras - so does the aid to "promote democracy", ie fund political parties, groups and NGOs involved in executing the coup and consolidating the dictatorial regime. So, don't see this as any great advance. The National Endowment for Democracy funds via International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute remain in effect and continue to those political groups that have publicly backed the coup regime. Same goes for the large majority (approximately 80%) of USAID funds to Honduras. So, really the DOS decision does not affect most of the funding to political groups in Honduras that promoted the coup.
Ironically, the US seems to be "coming clean" in its own manipulative way regarding the coup in Honduras. SOUTHCOM Commander, General Douglas Fraser, confirmed today what many of us suspected from day one of the coup, that the airplane that forced President Zelaya into exile after kidnapping him violently on June 28th from his residence, actually took off for Costa Rica from the Soto Cano (Palmerola) military base, which has been occupied and run by the Pentagon since 1954 (actively since the early 1980s). Here is a link to an article translated (not perfectly) into English. Strangely, not much English-language press is reporting this most important detail regarding the Honduran coup, which clearly shows US involvement and lying. Up until now the Pentagon had denied the Honduran president's airplane had landed at the Soto Cano (Palmerola) base...
For those who didn't believe in the beginning that the US had a major hand in the coup against President Zelaya in Honduras, the pieces are coming together now, from the belly of the beast.
