Clinton Gains Breakthrough In Honduras After Months-Long Leadership Crisis

Kris Alingod – AHN Contributor Washington, D.C. (AHN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday announced that a breakthrough had been reached in Honduras after Roberto Micheletti, who came to power as president in a coup earlier this year, agreed to let Congress vote on whether José Manuel Zelaya should return to power to finish his term. The United States has led the international community in calling for the reinstatement of Zelaya, who has been encamped in the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital for weeks. “I want to congratulate the people of Honduras as well as President Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti for reaching an historic agreement,” Clinton said while on a visit to Pakistan. “I also congratulate Costa Rican President Oscar Arias for the important role he has played in fashioning the San Jose process and the OAS for its role in facilitating the successful round of talks.” “I cannot think of another example of a country in Latin America that having suffered a rupture of its democratic and constitutional order overcame such a crisis through negotiation and dialogue,” she added. “This is a big step forward for the Inter-American system and its commitment to democracy as embodied in the Inter-American Democratic Charter. I’m very proud that I was part of the process, that the United States was instrumental in the process.” Zelaya was expelled by the Honduran military to Costa Rica on June 28, after a vote by the Honduran Congress to oust him, and a ruling from the Supreme Court that a referendum scheduled for that day was illegal. The referendum was about changes to the Constitution that would have allowed Zelaya to continue beyond his four-year term. The 57-year-old leader was exiled in Nicaragua and had repeatedly attempted to take back his government, causing unrest. In September, he successfully returned to Honduras in secret, staying within the confines of the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, causing riots between his supporters and police. Micheletti, who was the speaker of Congress, had insisted his ascension to the presidency was constitutional, and pledged to hold presidential elections scheduled for Nov. 29. But the international community remained critical, calling Micheletti a de facto leader, and exerting pressure by suspending Honduras’ membership in the Organization of American States and limiting political engagement with the European Union. The United States also revoked the visas of members of Micheletti’s government, suspended $18 million in military assistance programs and developmental aid, and halted joint military operations between the 600 American troops at Soto Cano Air Base and the Honduran military. Costa Rican President Arias was later asked to mediate negotiations between Zelaya and Micheletti. Last Friday, Clinton spoke to both Honduran leaders by phone after talks broke down. She also sent State Department officials this week to urge both sides to agree to an accord drafted by Arias ahead of the presidential elections. A signed agreement was needed before voters went to polls “in order for [the electinos] to be seen as legitimate and for the authorities down there to conduct a completely open and transparent electoral process,” the State Department had said. The accord reportedly would let the Honduran Congress vote on whether to let Zelaya finish his term, which ends in January. In her announcement, Clinton did not reveal details of the agreement beyond saying her officials, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Craig Kelly and White House Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Dan Restrepo, had successfully convinced the two parties to agree. “We’re looking forward to the elections, and working with the people and government of Honduras to realize the full return of democracy and a better future for the Honduran people,” she also said. Article � AHN – All Rights Reserved