Honduras "Election" Failed to Stop the Resistance

Al, my co-blogger Charles over at Mercury Rising today noted that at the OAS meeting, the only nations not to condemn the coup outright, besides Canada and the US, were (drumroll, please) -- Panama and Peru.  (When even freaking right-wing Colombia condemns the coup, you know that's really something.)

Those of you who have followed Al's stories on the coup might remember that tear gas grenades labeled "POLICIA NACIONAL DEL PERU" (National Police of Peru) were found and reported on by Honduras' Gremio de Cineastas filmmaker association, and later by Al Giordano for The Field -- actions that caused the Peruvian powers that be to impotently stomp their feet and threaten "legal action".

Rather interesting, wouldn't you say?

Thanks Al!!!!

I found this article on the New Yorker yesterday... I'm very happy that most of Latin America is standing strong.

Thanks, Orlando.

And it looks like you've just won the Field Hands office betting pool! You should drop me a line now and then when you hear things...

Nothing would cast more doubt in Washington on Secretary of State Clinton's decision to endorse the Honduran election, held under the auspices of those who took power in the coup, than to bring forth real forensic evidence of falsified election results, vote suppression or other manipulation of the electoral process. At this point Washington's acceptance of this election is a function of the fact that it's been invisible inside the Beltway.  There's been virtually no news coverage of it. But convincing evidence of an environment of repression in recent weeks -- not merely the assertion of such conditions, or polemical talk about it -- but a week-by-week narrative, with photos and eyewitness accounts of repression, along with evidence of electoral manipulation, could encourage selected members of Congress who are unhappy with what's been going on to have the courage to speak up and start making the administration uncomfortable.  Only when that discomfort fully reaches the President (e.g. Lula or Zapatero callling him about it, a press conference of members of Congress like Barbara Boxer or Russ Feingold) will Obama alter what Clinton has done.  As for her, notice how little role she has had in the international problems that have preoccupied Obama (such as organizing China re climate change, and Russia re Iran), while Biden has dominated Iraq policy, and Gates has taken the lead on Afghanistan.  There seems to be a pattern of the White House and other national-security players going full throttle on pressing global issues, while Clinton addresses what are perceived as regional issues, like Honduras.  Only when an international issue is made global and also political will the White House take notice.  Don't for a moment believe that Obama focused in detail on the Honduras decision.  It is simply not regarded inside the Beltway as significant.  That's what has to be changed, with real evidence of an electoral outrage and both international and political pressure directed at the White House.

Tribunus - Put on your seat belt! The only delay is about getting it 100 percent right.