CRISIS IN HONDURAS
Honduran Congress Suspend Civil Rights;
Zelaya Vows To Return On Saturday
The Honduran Legislature approved earlier
this afternoon a decree that suspends five
of the rights of citizens in Honduras: the
inviolable right of home, the freedom of
association, a person can be held more than
24 hours without a charge and freedom of
movement in the country.
The decree was presented to the Legislative
Assembly by Roberto Micheletti, who was
given the power of the presidency following
the military coup d'etat last Sunday.
The decree approved by the Legislators
virtually places the country under siege.
The measures are designed to prevent any
demonstration on the streets of Honduras in
the event deposed president Manuel Zelaya
returns.
Zelaya, who is currently in Panama to take
part in the investiture of Ricardo
Martinelli as the new president of Panama,
said he would respect the 72 hours deadline
placed by the Organization of American
States (OAS) on the Honduras to reinstate
its president, before returning to his
country possibly on Saturday.
Zelaya had said on Monday that he would
return to Honduras on Thursday, but decided
postpone his return after the announcement
by the OAS.
The OAS said that it is firm that if Zelaya
is not reinstated, it would suspend
Honduras' membership to the OAS. In a
separate move, the has frozen all credit,
reported to be some $500 billion dollars, to
Honduras.
Micheletti, for his part, is staying firm
that Zelaya can return whenever he wishes,
as a private citizen, but faces a battery of
charges of criminal acts while president.
Micheletti said the courts are ready to
issue a warrant for Zelaya's arrest the
moment he sets foot in Honduras.
Micheletti said that Zelaya had violated
Honduran law and it was too late for him to
avoid arrest if he returns to Honduras.
Micheletti also said he was worried about
the possibility of invasion from other Latin
American countries, although he did not say
which ones.
"I was appointed by Congress, which
represents the Honduran people. Nobody can
make me resign unless I break the laws of
the country," Micheletti said in an
interview with The Associated Press at the
presidential palace.
The United States said it has suspended
joint military operations with Honduras,
while the European Union has suspended the
first round of free trade negotiations for
the region, which were scheduled in Brussels
next week.
|
