Rule Of Law By Military Coup*
That’s different. Here’s a Honduran lawyer who says the old Latin American standby is a step forward. Octavio Sanchez lays out the constitutional case for the ouster of the president by the military in Honduras, with consent of several elected and appointed authorities, heralds a bright new day. Christian Science Monitor:
Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Sometimes, the whole world prefers a lie to the truth. The White House, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and much of the media have condemned the ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya this past weekend as a coup d’état.
That is nonsense.
In fact, what happened here is nothing short of the triumph of the rule of law.
…
Continuismo – the tendency of heads of state to extend their rule indefinitely – 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.
I am extremely proud of my compatriots. Finally, we have decided to stand up and become a country of laws, not men. From now on, here in Honduras, no one will be above the law.
Whole thing here.
A Washington Post op-ed, meanwhile, offers a Zelaya backgrounder and posits he has no one to blame for himself. Here’s another at the NYPost: “Obama ‘meddles’ in Honduras, choose wrong side.” Not to be confused with backing off in support of the wrong side.
Legal Insurrection wonders, but not much, which side the United States is going to be on when it comes to tyrants.
Gateway on the other big pro-democracy protests the Obama admin is ignoring … the ones in Honduras in favor of rule of law by coup.
Big Fausta news and commentary roundup.
* Which, to clarify, looks like a good thing and constitutionally mandated, if ironic given the region’s history.
Topics: America, law & order, military
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:54 am on Friday, July 3, 2009
4 Responses to “Rule Of Law By Military Coup*”
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July 3rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
Our nation is being shamed daily. Thank you, 52%.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
[...] A good round-up on what is really happening in Honduras. [...]
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
That’s our Obama. Always on the wrong side.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
My own instinct tells me that he’s just practicing and studying up for when he tries to do the same thing here. Constitution? What Constitution? Obama doesn’t need no stinking Constitution!
Obama has a rubber-stamp Reichstag full of nationalizing, socialist sycophants to enable his fascist plans.
Happy 4th of July, America!