Article

2009-07-03 Caribbean-Latin America

Honduras Supreme Court Judge Defends President Ouster

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2009-07-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 The Honduran government cant just take any citizen to an airport and kick them out, let alone a president.

The president is not just any citizen. As president I suggest this precedent is applicable:

"whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it"

Posted by Glenmore 2009-07-03 05:05|| 2009-07-03 05:05|| Front Page Top

#2 Article 239: "No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform [emphasis added], as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years."

Notice that the article speaks about intent and that it also says "immediately" as in "instant," as in "no trial required," as in "no impeachment needed."

Posted by OldSpook 2009-07-03 14:02|| 2009-07-03 14:02|| Front Page Top

#3 The following was published in the Christian Science Monitor by Octavio SÃ¡nchez, a lawyer, and a former presidential adviser (2002-05) and minister of culture (2005-06) of the Republic of Honduras:

..... On June 26, President Zelaya issued a decree ordering all government employees to take part in the "Public Opinion Poll to convene a National Constitutional Assembly." In doing so, Zelaya triggered a constitutional provision that automatically removed him from office ..... His actions showed intent.....

According to Article 239 [of the Honduras Constitution]: "No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform , as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years."

Notice that the article speaks about intent and that it also says "immediately" â as in "instant," as in "no trial required," as in "no impeachment needed."

Continuismo â the tendency of heads of state to extend their rule indefinitely â has been the lifeblood of Latin America's authoritarian tradition. The Constitution's provision of instant sanction might sound draconian, but every Latin American democrat knows how much of a threat to our fragile democracies continuismo presents. In Latin America, chiefs of state have often been above the law. The instant sanction of the supreme law has successfully prevented the possibility of a new Honduran continuismo.

The Supreme Court and the attorney general ordered Zelaya's arrest for disobeying several court orders compelling him to obey the Constitution. He was detained and taken to Costa Rica. Why? Congress needed time to convene and remove him from office. With him inside the country that would have been impossible. This decision was taken by the 123 (of the 128) members of Congress present that day.

Don't believe the coup myth. The Honduran military acted entirely within the bounds of the Constitution. The military gained nothing but the respect of the nation by its actions .....

Posted by Vigilante">Vigilante 2009-07-03 22:42|| http://the-vigil.blogspot.com/]">[http://the-vigil.blogspot.com/] 2009-07-03 22:42|| Front Page Top

#4 The administration is going the reverse opposite direction on this case. It must back down NOW or risk having a military situation in the south that will be hard to justify.

Reverse order, Obama. New elections are to be heald very soon.

Posted by newc">newc 2009-07-03 23:06|| 2009-07-03 23:06|| Front Page Top

23:18 Thing From Snowy Mountain
23:10 newc
23:08 newc
23:08 Zhang Fei
23:08 bman
23:06 newc
22:58 newc
22:55 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:50 49 Pan
22:42 Vigilante
22:36 Unatle Unavimp4834
22:29 Steve White
22:00 ryuge
21:53 Slung Untervehr8582
21:33 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:17 Mullah Richard
21:14 Old Patriot
21:09 Old Patriot
21:07 Old Patriot
20:34 anymouse
20:33 SteveS
20:30 Frank G
20:29 Frank G
20:21 SteveS