End Coup Stalemate

A very good article from the Miami Herald:

End coup stalemate
By MARIFELI PEREZ-STABLE
MarifeliPerez-Stable.com
Posted on Thursday, Jul. 30, 2009

I don't know what else to call it. If a president is awakened by soldiers pointing their weapons in his face, what is it if not a coup? Still, Manuel Zelaya's removal on June 28 can't be treated as if it were a return to the 1970s when brutal coups established military governments, banned political parties and perpetrated massive human-rights violations.

Before his ouster, Zelaya was in a tug-of-war with Congress and the courts over the now frustrated referendum. No fourth ballot box will be installed in November's general election asking voters whether or not to convene a constitutional assembly. Under the Honduran constitution, only the Supreme Electoral Tribunal can call a referendum.

In late May, the Administrative Law Tribunal ruled that the president lacked the authority to proceed. All the same, Zelaya barreled ahead. On June 25, he upbraided the Supreme Court, the political establishment and the oligarchy. The next afternoon the Supreme Court issued a unanimous order of arrest against Zelaya for his serial flaunting of the constitution.

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