FORMER MINUTEMAN DOING INTERVIEWS ON BARRACK COLUMN

Arizona resident, former Executive Director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps., and current head of a group called the Patriots Coalition, Al Garza is doing media interviews and the subject matter is a column I wrote recently. Garza, a former Marine of hispanic descent has done more for defending America's sovereignty than most will ever dream of doing. He is a true patriot.

Regarding the interviews Garza is doing... As I've been watching this Arizona immigration battle take place between the White House and Governor Jan Brewer, it reminded me of what took place in Honduras last year. Interim president of that country, Roberto Micheletti found himself alone against the world. The pressure that was applied to him was unimaginable.

Leading the charge against Micheletti was the Barack Obama administration. Micheletti became president when sitting president, aspiring dictator, and Hugo Chavez stooge Manuel Zelaya was constitutionally removed from office. Obama called it a "coup". He then aided in getting nations and dictators to align against Micheletti, a scenario that seems to be repeating itself in Arizona.

Micheletti stood strong and politically defeated the world. However, in typical Obama fashion, the blame was placed on Zelaya's erratic behavior and not Micheletti's courage. Lost on the Obama administration in the use of that excuse is the irony of Honduras constitutionally removing a would-be dictator who behaved erratically.

Via Special Guests:

ALINSKY FAILING IN ARIZONA? Governor of Border State Refusing to be Intimidated by President; It Just Might be Working

Barack Obama is likely regretting his decision to pull his current DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano out of her position as Governor of Arizona. Her replacement there – Jan Brewer – is standing up to the Obama administration as well as to Eric Holder's Department of Justice over a recently signed law that will be tough on illegal immigration. Obama appears to be having a difficult time finding the solution in his Rules for Radicals handbook, authored by his ideological mentor, Saul Alinsky. Perhaps because it isn't in there.

The state of Arizona is increasingly finding itself being alientated on the world stage, many believe with the approval and encouragement of the president of the United States. Whether it's the Assistant Secretary of State apologizing for Arizona to the Chinese or the Mexican president chastising that state in front of a joint session of congress, significant pressure is being brought against Brewer and her state over the recent signing and passage of an immigration law there. Cuba's Castro and Venezuela's Chavez have also expressed vocal opposition to Arizona.

Al Garza, President of the Patriots Coalition and resident of Arizona, has seen this before – in Honduras. Last year interim president of Honduras, Roberto Micheletti stood strong against not only Obama but the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the European Union, and the aforementioned Castro and Chavez.

Micheletti was victorious in defeating virtually the entire world by refusing to compromise his principles; Garza is calling for Governor Brewer to follow the same formula in order to defeat the same tactics.

I'm not sure where Micheletti stands with respect to SB 1070 in Arizona but my guess is he and Governor Brewer would have much in common. It might be worth her reaching out to him. It would be an extremely strong statement to Obama.

Be Sure to Visit Special Guests to read the entire column.

Al Garza's Patriot's Coalition

REMEMBER HONDURAS?

That small country of Honduras was in the news quite a bit between June 28th, 2009 and November elections there. It was high stakes and high drama for an underdog nation that was taking on the world. Sitting president of that country, Manuel Zelaya attempted to install himself as dictator; the Constitution was followed by the other branches of government, thereby preventing it.

The Obama administration sided with the world against interim leader Roberto Micheletti, who stuck to his guns and his principles to defeat the world. Regardless of what people might say or how it is spun, Obama's Alinsky-ite / Community Organizing tactics failed to bully Honduras on a world stage.

The AP reported just this past April 30th that the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras basically conceded defeat but in true Obama fashion, blamed someone else. In this case, that someone else was Zelaya himself. In fairness, Zelaya was a certifiable kook but the White House lost an international battle when everything BUT Zelaya was stacked in Obama's favor.

U.S. officials who voiced strong opposition to Honduras' coup last June now say the ousted president took an "erratic and imprudent course of action" in the months leading up to his overthrow.

The comments from U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens mark the first time U.S. officials have so directly criticized former President Manuel Zelaya for his pre-coup actions.

Llorens told about 300 community leaders at a Thursday meeting of the Honduran Cities Association that the November election of President Porfirio Lobo was a crucial step toward putting this poor Central American country back on track.

"We understood very well that former President Zelaya pursued an erratic and imprudent course of action in the management of the country, and the growing opposition to his polarizing style," Llorens said.

Did Llorens actually concede defeat while citing "growing opposition to (a) polarizing style"? Perhaps Mr. Llorens should step back and look at how his boss in the White House fits that description. The irony here is that Zelaya is being blamed for Obama's loss in Honduras while his attributes that are allegedly responsible for that defeat are very much applicable to how Obama is governing his own country. Can anyone say health care and immigration? Two instances of many in which Obama has shown that he can generate growing opposition to a polarizing style.

Read it all.

VICTORY IN HONDURAS IS DEFEAT FOR OBAMA

Porfirio Lobo was the conservative candidate in Honduras and now he is that country's president-elect. It is important to realize that there is absolutely no way Lobo would be in this position if not for the courageousness of a man named Roberto Micheletti who was a member of the Liberal party.

To truly appreciate what Micheletti did is simply awe-inspiring. It is the quintessential David v. Goliath story. At one point, there were only two countries in the world that supported the ouster of Manuel Zelaya and subsequent installation of Micheletti on June 28th - Taiwan and Israel.

At many points along the way, Micheletti felt pressure to an extent most will never fully appreciate. At one point, his nephew was found murdered and there was rampant speculation that the murder was politically motivated.

Roberto Micheletti has exhibited a level of courage rarely seen in this day and age and he did so in the face of United Nations opposition, Organization of American States opposition, Obama opposition (which still exists), Hugo Chavez opposition, Castro brother opposition, Daniel Ortega opposition, and an annoyingly persistent ousted president Manuel Zelaya who snuck into the Brazilian embassy.

Yet, the Obama administration has hit rock bottom on this issue and continues to dig. After voters overwhelmingly turned out in Honduras to peacefully elect Lobo and say NO to socialism, Obama says the elections are not good enough when it comes to resolving the constitutional crisis in that country. VOA reports:

The U.S. State Department says Sunday's presidential election in Honduras was a significant, but insufficient step, to end to political crisis that began there in June with the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. U.S. officials are stopping short of recognizing opposition candidate Porfirio Lobo as the country's next president.

The State Department says the Honduran election met international standards for fairness and transparency and it has commended Porfirio Lobo for what it termed an "ample victory".

But at the same time, it stopped short of formally recognizing Lobo as the country's next president and says Honduras must still take steps toward political reconciliation before it can emerge from the isolation brought by the June 28 ouster of President Zelaya.

Lobo has a very rocky runway ahead of him upon which he must launch a successful presidency when he takes office but the way was cleared by Micheletti who by all accounts, simply wants to handover the presidency and fade away.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration continues to stomp its feet and cry foul.





h/t to FR

HONDURAS: ELECTIONS HELD AND TURNOUT BAD FOR ZELAYA

Since Hugo Chavez lackey Manuel Zelaya was removed from the presidency forcibly on June 28th, the international community - including the Obama administration - has aligned and done virtually all it could to reinstate Zelaya. Interim president Roberto Micheletti has stood his ground and by all accounts, it's paying off. The Wall Street Journal reported that voter turnout for the elections held today has been very strong. That doesn't seem to bode well for Zelaya since he called for people to boycott the elections.

Voter turnout was seen as a crucial factor in persuading more countries to back the poll. Although it started out light, it appeared to pick up considerably, and Honduran election officials said it was high enough to keep the polls open for an additional hour. High turnout could represent another setback for Mr. Zelaya, who had urged supporters to boycott the poll.

Mr. Zelaya's removal at gunpoint in June caused a stir in Honduras and abroad, where the global community condemned the ouster as a coup. Honduras's political institutions, including its congress and supreme court, backed the ouster as the legal removal of a president who they said was illegally trying to get himself re-elected -- charges Mr. Zelaya denies.

Interestingly, both Zelaya and Micheletti are from Honduras' liberal party but the turnout and early returns indicate that a conservative candidate is going to win.

Neither of the two men claiming to be president during the past five months -- Mr. Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti -- was on the ballot. Instead, Hondurans chose between Mr. Lobo of the conservative National Party and Elvin Santos of the Liberal Party -- to which both Mr. Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti belong.

The vote, seen as punishing the Liberal Party for the crisis, hands power to Mr. Lobo, a conservative rancher who was narrowly beat by Mr. Zelaya four years ago. "It's going to be Pepe this time," said Higenio Garcia Ponce, 74, an agricultural laborer who said he had just voted for Mr. Lobo. "There was a rupture in the Liberal Party over what happened with Zelaya."

Frankly, Micheletti is probably rooting for Lobo based on what he's had to deal with since assuming power - power he appears to be all too willing to relinquish (unlike Zelaya).

Micheletti should be considered a hero of Honduras. He has stood on principle and he has stood against the world. While he hasn't crossed the finish line yet, he appears to have won. The United States has already indicated that it will recognize the winner of this election.

Only the U.S., Costa Rica and Panama have said they will accept the winner, though other countries, including Mexico and Canada, appear to be leaning that way as well. The government is betting that U.S. recognition will lead other nations to back down from earlier positions. "They may not recognize the elections Sunday itself, but I believe they will at some point in the future," Mr. Lobo said Saturday.

If the results of this election come out the way it looks like they might, Micheletti will have been far more victorious than Lobo. What Micheletti will have accomplished with the election of a conservative and a smooth transition of power with the world against him is nothing short of Churchillian.

Well done, Roberto.

Read the ENTIRE WSJ piece.

HONDURAS: ZELAYA BUSTED....AGAIN

Talk of reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya as president of Honduras last month appears to have been premature. He is still holed up in the Brazilian embassy and Roberto MIcheletti is still in power. If you remember, the reason for Zelaya's ouster on June 28th was that all branches of government determined he was attempting to use a referendum to stay in power beyond his one term in office, a move strictly prohibited by the Honduran constitution.

All along, Zelaya has denied that he was attempting to do such a thing. Now we learn courtesy of the Canadian Press that Zelaya will not accept any deal calling for his reinstatement if he must endorse the elections.

The RECORD reports:

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya insisted late Saturday that he will not accept any deal to restore him to office if it means he must recognize elections later this month.

In a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, Zelaya also repeated his accusation that Washington reversed its stance on whether the Nov. 29 vote should be considered legitimate if he was not in office.

There is another fascinating dimension in all of this. In particular, assuming the November 29th elections proceed as scheduled and there is a peaceful transition of power, it will have meant that the interim Honduran government, led by Micheletti will have not only defended its own constitution but it will have defeated nearly unanimous international opposition with the United States, under Barack Obama arguably being the most aggressive in its support of Zelaya (behind only Hugo Chavez).

Here's the part of the article that highlights both the U.S. backing off this battle and Zelaya's childish immaturity:

Washington has said it supports Zelaya's reinstatement, but the pact set no deadline for his return to office. And after brokering the deal, U.S. diplomats indicated Washington would support the elections, which had been scheduled before the coup, as long the deal was implemented.

"The future that you show us today by changing your position in the case of Honduras, and thus favouring the abusive intervention of the military castes ... is nothing more than the downfall of freedom and contempt for human dignity," Zelaya said in the letter to Obama. "It is a new war against the processes of social and democratic reforms so necessary in Honduras."

Throughout this entire ordeal, Zelaya has put his personal quest for power above what is best for his country, which points to Micheletti being justified in replacing him. This latest bit of yammering is just further evidence of that. If Zelaya were truly interested in peacefully ending all of this, he would work out a deal that would allow him to return to Honduras while ceding power.

Lastly, don't you know that Micheletti is counting the minutes until he can step down? He's like a quarterback in the 4th Quarter, trying to protect a lead. Just run out the clock and get the W.

Speaking of W's, the first president of the United States, George Washington, could have been king but didn't want it. He could have stayed in office as president but he didn't want to. His legacy is great indeed. Something tells me that Micheletti's legacy will be grand as well (once all of these passions cool). Maybe it's just one of those paradoxes in life. Those who lead out of a sense of duty and service and not necessarily a desire to lead, make better leaders than those whose quest for leadership outweighs all other considerations.

h/t to FR

HONDURAS: MICHELETTI NEPHEW SHOT EXECUTION STYLE

Though still too early to draw conclusions, the nephew of sitting president Roberto Micheletti has been found dead in his country. Enzo Micheletti was not just found dead. His body was found with his hands tied behind his back and he appears to have been executed. The BBC reports:

The nephew of the interim President of Honduras Roberto Micheletti has been found dead in what the police are calling an execution-style killing.

Enzo Micheletti's body was discovered on Sunday in woodland near Choloma, 250 km north of the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Police say his hands were tied behind his back and his body was riddled with bullets.

The TIMES OF INDIA is also reporting on the story as National Police spokesman Orlin Cerrato provided more details about another man that was killed.

Col. Concepcion Jimenez was gunned down Sunday night in front of his Tegucigalpa house....Col. Jimenez died Sunday night at Tegucigalpa's Military Hospital shortly after being shot while getting out of his car in front of his house in a southern district of the capital.

The suspects in the killing are "three or four young men who were in a taxi", Cerrato said.

Jimenez headed the Honduran armed forces' Industria Militar, which makes uniforms and other equipment for the military.

It will be very interesting to see how Micheletti deals with this news. While reports are that there is no evidence of a connection between the Honduran crisis and this murder, tell that to Micheletti. Until all of the facts are known, he's got to be wondering and is quite possibly being very hard on himself. As difficult as it would be, it will show an even deeper level of courage and strength if Micheletti continues to hold the hard line and not give in.

The reaction of the White House will be interesting to see as well. I can't believe there won't be sympathies expressed by the Obama administration. If there isn't, it will reveal an even deeper low.

h/t to DRUDGE

ZELAYA HEADED TO SPAIN?

Nobody's been closer to what's going on in Honduras than Fausta, which is why this report, while unconfirmed, should be considered credible speculation. Earlier today, it was reported that ousted Honduran president, anti-semite, and Hugo Chavez stooge Manuel Zelaya may be returning to his former position as president.

However, FAUSTA'S BLOG is now reporting that Zelaya may actually be headed to Spain as part of the deal. If this is true, all of the cowards in the world who would otherwise do the right thing should read the Roberto Micheletti memoir whenever it comes out.

If this is true, it will have meant that the leader of a small country (Micheletti in Honduras) took on not only the Organization of the American States, the United Nations, and the United States AND DEFEATED them all.

Yes, it's early but if this ends up being true, it would be a MAJOR slap in the face to the Obama Administration and Hugo Chavez. Have no fear you Obamautomatons. Your leader is getting good as distancing himself from his own embarassments.

C Ya, Manny! Buh Bye now!

REUTERS: SHILLING FOR ZELAYA

This may be a sign that Roberto Micheletti's government is beginning to win the stand-off. Reuters coverage of what's going on there seems to have moved away from implied support of the Obama administration's policy of reinstating ousted president Manuel Zelaya and toward blatantly biased reporting.

Quoting REUTERS:

Suspicious deaths. Beatings. Random police shootings. Life under the de facto government of Honduras at times feels uncannily like Latin America's dark past of military rule.

In the three months since soldiers overthrew leftist President Manuel Zelaya and marched him out of the country in his pajamas, international and Honduran human rights groups say security forces have committed a litany of abuses.

Lost on Reuters, apparently, is all of the reckless behavior of Zelaya who is the individual who should be feeling the most heat over all of the unrest there.

Between crossing into Honduras by foot to make some statement and his recent surfacing in the Brazilian embassy, it is clearly Zelaya who is inflaming any tensions in Honduras. Check out THIS verbiage!!

Repression of protests against the coup increased after Zelaya slipped back into the country on Sept 21, took refuge in the Brazilian embassy and called his backers onto the streets.

Note how repression increased after Zelaya surfaced in the Brazilian embassy and not BECAUSE of it.

UTTERLY PATHETIC, yes but it may indicate that Micheletti may be winning the standoff. Be sure to read the whole article.

Case in point. WND is reporting that Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas appears to be making a plea to the United Nations for more attention.

"It is getting worse every day," Rodas explained to a sparsely attended news conference at U.N. headquarters today.

The meeting with reporters was viewed as an attempt to gain attention for a campaign many have seen as "losing steam."

How interesting that the Reuters piece comes across as an attempt to carry the water for the likes of Rodas when it had been much less subjective in the past. This seems to indicate that Zelaya is losing (by extension, so is Obama) and Micheletti is winning.

Micheletti needs to KEEP HOLDING ON! He is on the right side of this fight.

VIDEO: NEWT SLAMS OBAMA ON HONDURAS

Even the far left needs to own up to this one. The Obama administration's stance on restoring Honduran president Manuel Zelaya is aging like a sweaty sock. The longer Roberto Micheletti holds his ground, the more Zelaya exposes himself for who he is.

On June 28th, he was removed from office and even the CONGRESSIONAL LAW LIBRARY has determined their actions to be completely constitutional, except for deporting Zelaya - a move that could arguably have been an extension of kindness by Micheletti, who otherwise would have had to arrest Zelaya and charge him with treason.

As Zelaya remains holed up in the Brazilian embassy, he has made outrageous claims that Israeli mercenaries are plotting to assassinate him and that he is being poisoned with radiation. While neither Hillary nor Obama will admit it, they've both gotta be rolling their eyes inside a face palm.

To her credit, Greta has picked up on this story in recent weeks. Here she is talking with Newt about the situation in Honduras:



Leaders in the United States needing a lesson in courage (there are many) should look to Roberto Micheletti because he provides it in spades. With each passing day, he seems to impress while Zelaya looks increasingly like someone in need of medication.

For a microcosm of what I'm talking about, look no further than the current situation. Initially, Zelaya appeared to have done an end run around Micheletti by popping up inside the Brazilian embassy. Micheletti's hard line even then coupled with Zelaya's nutty words and actions have actually served to turn up the heat on Brazilian leadership from within.

REUTERS is reporting that the longer Zelaya is in Brazil's Honduran embassy, the more domestic support Brazil seems to be losing.

Brazil's government is facing growing criticism at home over its handling of the Honduran crisis as senior lawmakers accuse it of allowing the ousted president to use its embassy as a political platform.

Manuel Zelaya, who was toppled as Honduran president by a coup on June 28, has set up camp in the Brazilian embassy with dozens of supporters and has given numerous interviews to foreign and domestic media.

That last part, about him giving numerous interviews might be part of the problem. On Thursday, the 24th, Zelaya caused many to wonder if his white cowboy hat is made of tin foil when he made the outrageous claims about Israeli mercenaries going after him in an interview with the MIAMI HERALD.

h/t to GP for the Newt video.

HOTEL CALIFORNIA FOR MANUEL ZELAYA?

Has the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa become Hotel California for Manuel Zelaya? Perhaps a better comparison might be the roach motel. In any case, he may be second-guessing his decision. It was obviously much easier for him to enter that embasssy than it will be for him to leave.

Yes, he caught Micheletti flat-footed by showing up in Tegucigalpa but now Micheletti knows exactly where Zelaya is and will probably descend on him rather quickly the second he steps off of sovereign Brazilian land.

The AP reported on the events surrounding Zelaya's arrival at the embassy.

Zelaya, forced out of his country at gunpoint June 28, triumphantly popped up in the capital Monday, telling captivated supporters that after three months of international exile and a secretive 15-hour cross-country journey, he was ready to lead again.

Now that it's been more than 24 hours since his arrival, I wonder if Zelaya is having an "uh-oh" moment. It's becoming clear that at best, Zelaya is a narcissist, making everything about him while showing no regard for the consequences of his actions. At worst, he's the would-be tyrant he's suspected of being. Even Hillary Clinton called his actions "reckless" when he crossed into Honduras briefly back in July. Now, as then, Micheletti appears to be the one showing restraint. Zelaya's latest stunt has enflamed tensions as well, shutting down businesses in the city and causing government resources to be focused in one tiny area (the Brazilian embassy).

The entire country was largely shut down, with almost no cars or pedestrians in the streets and few businesses open under a nearly round-the-clock curfew decreed by the interim government that ousted Zelaya in June. It accused Zelaya of sneaking back into the country Monday to create disturbances and disrupt the Nov. 29 election scheduled to pick his successor.

Now we have even further evidence that would indicate that Micheletti's government has shown respect for the rule of law while excercising controlled restraint in dealing with these situations. Despite the brazeness of Zelaya, Micheletti is honoring (for now) the sovereignty of Brazil, even after its government obviously helped exacerbate Micheletti's problems with Zelaya.

Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez said the government would not try to enter the embassy to arrest Zelaya, but he also said Honduras' interim leaders had no intention of yielding on the central point demanded by the international community: the reinstatement of Zelaya to serve out the remaining four months of his term.

Micheletti has continued his hard stance on Zelaya's fate if he returns to Honduras. He will be arrested, charged, and likely sent to prison.

Later in the day, Lopez, the foreign minister, quoted Micheletti as saying that "I will talk to anybody, anywhere, any time, including ex-president Manuel Zelaya." But Lopez said the offer did not include allowing Zelaya to serve out his presidential term or avoid arrest on a Supreme Court warrant charging the ex-leader with treason and abuse of authority.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out but unless international bodies are willing to forcibly install Manuel Zelaya, thereby showing complete disregard for the Honduran constitution, Zelaya could end up second-guessing his decision to take that piece of cheese perched on the rat trap.

Here is Hillary on July 24th, calling Zelaya "reckless" for crossing the Nicaraguan border into Honduras.



So Hillary, if venturing across the border is "reckless", what do you call sneaking in to the nation's capital under cover of darkness and finding refuge in a foreign country's embassy?

Micheletti continues to hold his ground and show true courage. Keep it up, Roberto!

ZELAYA'S RETURN PUTS HONDURAS ON BRINK

I'm really struggling to understand something here. In July, when the deposed (and annoying) Honduran president Manuel Zelaya walked across the Nicaraguan border into Honduras donning a white cowboy hat and a megaphone, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called such actions "reckless".

Now we learn that Zelaya (with at least some level of international support) has made his way into the Brazilian embassy that sits in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. Riots have already begun. Considering that sitting president Roberto Micheletti is willing to step down if Zelaya agrees not to pursue a return to power, we're seeing who is the more power hungry of the two. So far, the U.S. State Department, through spokesman Ian Kelly, is urging that violence be prevented.

Help me with this one. Hillary called Zelaya's half-cocked actions "reckless" in July. Yet, ever since Zelaya was removed on June 28th, the official American stance has been to support his return to power. Now we learn that the "reckless" behavior Zelaya engaged in this past July by walking into Honduran territory has been escalated to the point that he is literally the source of unrest in the country he claims to hold so much love for.

With each passing day, Zelaya is exposing himself as the power-hungry thug and leader he was removed for being. Yet, our nation's leaders continue to support him while the leader of our State Department seems less willing to confront Zelaya the more "reckless" he becomes.

Micheletti' stalk continues to rise with me and he didn't fail to disappoint when, while talking to Reuters, he made reference to how welcome Zelaya is in Honduras by using terms that obviously referenced prison time:

Micheletti assured Zelaya that he can stay in Brazil's embassy for "five to 10 years" if he chooses. Micheletti said he has no intention of confronting Brazil or entering its embassy to go after Zelaya.

Did I mention that Micheletti's stock is rising with me?

UPDATE: ZELAYA'S RETURN TO HONDURAS

UPDATE AT 6:17PM CST. Well, it now appears that Manuel Zelaya is in fact in Honduras according to multiple sources. Specifically, he is said to be camped out inside the Brazilian embassy and this stinks to high heaven. The U.S. State Department appeared to know Zelaya was back before the U.N. did if reports are accurate.

THE AP is reporting that while Zelaya is inside the Brazilian embassy, neither Brazilian leadership nor the OAS seems willing to claim responsibility for Zelaya's arrival.

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza called for calm and warned Honduran officials to avoid any violation of the Brazilian diplomatic mission, saying "they should be responsible for the safety of president Zelaya and the Embassy of Brazil."

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorin said neither his country or the OAS had any role in Zelaya's journey before taking him in.

This is really a despicable development. The current Honduran government did nothing more than defend its constitution and foreign nations seem to be attempting to force Zelaya back into power. The United States' continued support of Zelaya also calls Obama into question on these developments.

In July, Hillary Clinton called Zelaya's crossing into Honduras by foot, "reckless". His arrival in Tegucigalpa via the Brazilian embassy seems to be a bit more reckless than that. So far, I haven't heard a peep from Hillary.

Lesson for sitting president, Roberto Micheletti... When a thug in pajamas is in your custody, don't let him go.

Be sure to check out FAUSTA'S BLOG for granular details.

El Tiempo reported earlier that former Minister of the Presidency Enrique Flores stated that Zelaya was returned “thanks to a coordinated international operative”.

A coordinated international operative? If there's one thing we're learning about Obama it's that when he's on the wrong side of an issue, he ignores it. Has anyone seen him speak out about Honduras to any degree recently? The last time I remember him doing so included something about an illegal "coup" on the part of the Honduran government, which did nothing but protect and defend its constitution.

I particularly like how State Department spokesman Ian Kelly says he can confirm Zelaya is in Honduras but that he doesn't know where. Here's a partial transcript of a state department press briefing on the matter today:

QUESTION: How did he come in, and where is he? What –

MR. KELLY: Don’t know.

QUESTION: When did it happen?

MR. KELLY: Like I say, the Embassy is trying to find out these details. But I do know that we have confirmed that he’s in Honduras. Where exactly he is, I don’t know. And we’re just trying to find out more details.

QUESTION: Last time we tuned in, he was under threat of arrest if he came home. Is that still what’s in play right now?

MR. KELLY: I’d have to refer you to the de facto regime in Tegucigalpa. Of course, we believe that he’s the democratic – democratically elected and constitutional leader of Honduras.

Call me crazy but I don't believe for one second that Kelly doesn't know where Zelaya is.

h/t to GATEWAY PUNDIT

------------------------------
INITIAL ENTRY ON THIS POST..

Either former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya is lying or current president Roberto Micheletti is wrong (or lying). Based on what I've seen since June 28th, when Zelaya was forcibly removed, my money is on Micheletti telling the truth and being right.

REUTERS is reporting that Zelaya is claiming he's in the capital of Honduras right now (Tegucigalpa). Micheletti is on record saying Zelaya is not in Honduras at all.

"I am here in Tegucigalpa. I am here for the restoration of democracy, to call for dialogue." Zelaya told Honduras' Canal 36 television network.

A close aide said Zelaya, a close ally of Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez, was in a U.N. building in the capital Tegucigalpa.

But Roberto Micheletti, a bitter rival of Zelaya who has run Honduras since the June 28 coup, denied that the president had returned, saying he was still in exile in neighboring Nicaragua.

At one point this past summer, Zelaya crossed into Honduras by foot from Nicaragua with a white cowboy hat and a megaphone, nearly setting off an international incident. Even Secretary of State Clinton called the move, "reckless".

All of that aside, when it comes to Zelaya's whereabouts right now, regardless of who is right, Micheletti is in the right. If Zelaya is in Honduras right now, he is continuing his reckless behavior. Micheletti has said on multiple occasions that Zelaya would be arrested if he returned to Honduras. If Zelaya isn't in Honduras, then he is lying for no productive reason.

In Iraq, Baghdad Bob denied that American troops had entered Iraq as they were in the background of Bob's camera shot. With Zelaya, he appears to be doing that in reverse, claiming he is in Honduras when he really isn't.

If Zelaya is lying, what does it say about how badly he wants to return? Perhaps he wants to return so badly that he's begun lying to himself while believing it.

h/t to DRUDGE

HONDURAS: OSCAR ARIAS NOT AS ADVERTISED?

When Manuel Zelaya was removed from power on June 28th, he was deported to Costa Rica. Since then, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias has been tasked with moderating an agreement. Juan Carlos Hidalgo at The Cato Institute now provides legitimate concerns that Arias was attempting to pull the same stunt Zelaya did:

President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica has joined the trend in Latin America of calling for a new constitution that would expand executive powers and get rid of “unnecessary checks” on the president’s authority. Although Arias has less than 9 months left in office and can’t run for reelection, his brother and current minister of the presidency — a primer minister of sorts — has openly said he’s interested in running for president in 2014. A new constitution with expanded executive powers would fit him just fine.

Gee, anyone wondering if Arias is taking notes of all Micheletti's moves out of self interest?

Apparently, Costa Rica's leading newspaper, La Nación has some concerns as well:

(La Nacion) said that the idea of dismantling the checks and balances on executive power sounds like an effort to create an “imperial presidency.”

Arias also called out the media as being “corporations interested in making a profit” that don’t necessarily pursue the “public good.”

You know, Roberto Micheletti appears to be smoking out characters he never intended to be exposed. The truth is a powerful weapon when you insist on following it without fear.

Micheletti continues to get the better of Zelaya, who long ago unmasked himself as the man he was accused of being. Now, it appears that an unintended consequence of Micheletti holding to the line is that Oscar Arias may be getting exposed as well.

Time will tell.

Here's the entire CATO INSTITUTE ARTICLE

h/t to HOT AIR

HONDURAS UPDATE: ZELAYA REJECTS OFFER

Eduardo commented on my earlier post that Zelaya has rejected Micheletti's offer allowing him to return to Honduras in exchange for Micheletti stepping down and Zelaya not being reinstated. Not only has Zelaya rejected the offer but so has the OAS and if reports are correct, the United States may end up officially declaring Zelaya's removal a "coup d'etat", which would lead to the suspension of $215 million in aid.

The AP HAS REPORTED that the deal is in fact dead because Zelaya refuses to accept its conditions.

Micheletti has been schooling Zelaya ever since the latter was removed from power but he's consequently also been punking Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and the Castro brothers by extension. In fact, the longer this goes on, the more foolish Obama looks because of his support for Zelaya's reinstatement.

However, this offer by Micheletti may trump everything he's done so far. It shows him as willing to cede power on the condition that Zelaya not insist on being reinstated as president. Considering how long Zelaya would be in office if he was reinstated (a few months), it makes NO SENSE for him to decline this offer unless he intended to trash his country's Constitution by attempting to pull something akin to what his buddy Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela. In particular, as was charged, using a referendum to become president for life.

By turning this offer down, Zelaya has unmasked himself for what he is and Micheletti can deliver another big fat, 'I told you so' to the rest of the world.

Initially, it looked like the continued U.S., O.A.S., and U.N. pressure was starting to wear on Micheletti by his offering this compromise but this may be his biggest victory in the standoff yet because of how it exposes Zelaya as the power-hungry would-be dictator he's accused of being.

Their is courage on display in Honduras that is truly amazing.

The best way to defeat evil is to get it to unmask itself.

Roberto Micheletti may just be a genius.

HERE IS A LINK to my earlier post.

HONDURAS: WHO IS PUTTING COUNTRY FIRST?

While the latest proposal for a resolution to the crisis in Honduras has come from sitting president Roberto Micheletti and may be viewed by some as caving in to international pressure, at the moment, I'm seeing it a bit differently.

The WASHINGTON TIMES is reporting that Micheletti has made an offer that will allow Manuel Zelaya to return to Honduras but not as president. To this point, Micheletti has played hardball, saying that if Zelaya returns, he will be arrested for (among other things) treason. It may appear that Micheletti is softening his stance but their may be some hidden genius in this proposal because of what it will reveal. Also, keep in mind (as the Times reports) that Micheletti is not offering to drop the charges against Zelaya that he had millions of dollars stolen from a bank in Honduras days before the illegal referendum he was going to have administered.

This is where the hidden genius comes in....

If Zelaya accepts the offer, Micheletti will step down as president. The question then becomes, 'How thirsty for power is Zelaya?'

Clintonite Lanny Davis is rarely, if ever, quoted in a positive light by yours truly but he will be here. As an attorney that represents Honduran Latin American Business Council, Davis said the following:

"(this proposal) shows Mr. Micheletti is not concerned about power -- he is offering to resign entirely from public life. ... The question is, does Mr. Zelaya acknowledge that no one, even the president, is above the law?"

Davis has that exactly right.

Yes, Micheletti is backing off the hard line but he is also setting the stage for Manuel Zelaya to reveal his true colors. If Micheletti, whose government removed the Zelaya for wanting to hold on to power, is willing to step down in return for Zelaya agreeing to permanently sit out and Zelaya refuses, what will that say?

For some reason, I'm reminded of a passage from Scripture. When King Solomon was confronted by two mothers both claiming to be the mother of one baby. Solomon had a sword brought and was prepared to cut the baby in half..

1 KINGS 3: 23-28

23The king said, One says, This is my son that is alive and yours is the dead one. The other woman says, No! But your son is the dead one and mine is the living one.

24And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword to the king.

25And the king said, Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other.

26Then the mother of the living child said to the king, for she yearned over her son, O my lord, give her the living baby, and by no means slay him. But the other said, Let him not be mine or yours, but divide him.

27Then the king said, Give her [who pleads for his life] the living baby, and by no means slay him. She is the child's mother.

28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had made, and they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

If Micheletti is willing to step down and Zelaya is unwilling to back down, which one of the two is ready to put the well being of the nation ahead of his own selfish desires?

h/t to HOT AIR for the link to the article.

HONDURAS: MICHELETTI KEEPS STANDING HIS GROUND

In the face of international pressure to reinstate Zelaya, Roberto Micheletti stood up to 'em and stared 'em down (including Obama). Perhaps he's feeling emboldened as a result but he's now whipping out the sedition card on these rambunctious Zelaya rioters.

The AP reports:

Two dozen supporters of Honduras' ousted president were charged with sedition Friday in an intensifying crackdown on protests against the coup-installed government.

Sedition, huh? Reports are that only about 10% of the Honduran population supports Zelaya but it's an obnoxious and destructive 10%. Besides, I thought the jury was still out on whether or not it was a coup (gotta love the AP).

Perhaps Micheletti is overreacting? Possibly, but hard to tell at this point:

Some 24 demonstrators were charged with sedition and damaging private property, said Melvin Duarte, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor's office. Another four were charged with aggravated arson and terrorism in the burning of a bus and a restaurant.

Isn't it funny that the protesters in support of the far left socialist / Hugo Chavez stooge don't know how to protest like those angry right wing "mobs"?

Whether you agree or disagree with Micheletti on this one (sedition seems like a strong charge), the odds that were massively stacked against the current gov't seem to be turning in its favor, if ever so slightly. Chavez, Ortega, and the Castro brothers are certainly seething at the fact that Zelaya has still not been reinstated. Perhaps the sitting government is finding operatives for Zelaya and his allies in its arrests or concerned that the socialist dictators will try to exploit the rioters in an act of desperation.

The defenders of Honduras' Constitution are showing courage these days. Wouldn't it be nice if America had more leaders willing to stand up for our Constitution, which has been getting chipped away at for years now? I am certainly not advocating the same course of action that Honduras took (our Constitution doesn't permit such action anyway) but it would be nice if collectively, our elected officials had greater insistence that it be followed.

Be sure to read the WHOLE REPORT

VICTORY: U.S. PULLS BACK ON SUPPORTING ZELAYA

Two lessons should have been learned here. 1.) When you know you're right, DO NOT COMPROMISE and 2.) Even when the odds couldn't be longer, when you're right and you stand up to a bully, the bully can still back down. It's just their default position when they're sufficiently challenged.

REUTERS is reporting that the U.S. has decided to "soften support" for ousted leader Manuel Zelaya. Quoting from a letter written by the U.S. State Department to Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN):

"Our policy and strategy for engagement is not based on supporting any particular politician or individual. Rather, it is based on finding a resolution that best serves the Honduran people and their democratic aspirations," Richard Verma, assistant secretary for legislative affairs, said in the letter.

Or how about this?

"We also recognize that President Zelaya's insistence on undertaking provocative actions contributed to the polarization of Honduran society and led to a confrontation that unleashed the events that led to his removal."

That is a MAJOR shift for the Obama administration and an admission of political defeat.

This is an AMAZING testament to the current government of Honduras, led by Roberto Micheletti. After the Congressional, Judicial, and Military branches of Honduras agreed that sitting president Manuel Zelaya was violating the Constitution, they had him removed on June 28th.

What happened next is really what is amazing. With the pressure of literally the entire world (U.N., U.S., the Organization of American States, Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and the Castro brothers) all backing Zelaya, Micheletti could have understandably buckled. He did not. At one point, the only two nations supporting his government were Taiwan and Israel.

In an effort to "mediate a compromise", the Costa Rican president was charged with working out a solution between Zelaya and Micheletti. Micheletti simply would not budge on the most important issue, which was returning Zelaya to power. The answer was "no" and he was not changing it.

As time went by and facts were revealed, it became more and more apparent that Zelaya was the thug Micheletti's government insisted he was. Even a cursory look at the facts early on would have told any honest broker that. Obama chose to support Zelaya and called his removal an "illegal" coup. However, day by day Zelaya was becoming more radioactive. To illustrate, contrast Zelaya taking a megaphone down to the Honduran border with Nicaragua and actually stepping onto Honduran soil to make a statement with a MICHELETTI OP-ED that appeared in the Wall Street Journal and enumerated all Zelaya had done illegally. Supporting Zelaya was not only looking more and more untenable but also very dangerous politically.

This change in stance is also very telling about how the Obama administration sees itself right now. It's been wounded in the health care debate and has chosen some very bizarre tactics in dealing with its opponents on that issue. Backing away from Zelaya is probably more about stopping the bleeding political capital somewhere (anywhere) than it was a heartfelt admission that Micheletti was right. Obama is on his heels and this "change" in stance is yet another indicator.

As this has been playing out over the last month, I likened the Micheletti stand to a political version of the Alamo because of how many forces were against them. At the risk of overstating it, in this case, the guys inside the metaphorical Alamo actually prevailed.

Pretty amazing what happens when you stand on principle, ain't it?

HONDURAS POLICY: HILLARY CHALLENGED BY SENATORS

Regardless of the ideologies which exist within the current government in Honduras (I'm not all that familiar with the players' backgrounds or beliefs), one thing that I can say is that I wish our leaders were at least half as insistent that their country's Constitution is adhered to.

Again, as events have played out since Manuel Zelaya was removed from office by a near unanimity of the rest of the government, he is looking more and more like the thug and his replacement looking more and more vindicated. That vindication is really beginning to make Obama's policy that Zelaya be reinstated look more foolish by the day.

What's more is that with the recent revocation of the visas of four Honduran government officials (one of whom was the Supreme Court Justice that signed papers ordering Zelaya's removal), it's beginning to damage Obama politically as Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) seem to be tag-teaming to get answers from Hillary Clinton..

REUTERS REPORTS:

"The complexity of events that led up to the Honduran crisis has given rise to questions regarding U.S. policy," Senator Richard Lugar, one of the Senate's most respected voices on foreign policy, wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

DeMint went a step further by informing Clinton of a potential consequence if clarity isn't provided:

Because of U.S. support for Zelaya, conservative Republican Senator Jim DeMint has threatened to delay a Senate vote on the nomination of Arturo Valenzuela to be assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, the senior diplomat in charge of Latin America at the State Department.

"I request that the Department provide interested Members a detailed clarification of the steps that it has taken, and intends to take, in response to the events that transpired in the run-up to and period after the forced removal of President Manuel Zelaya from Honduras," Lugar wrote to Clinton.

Most telling about who's right and who's wrong in this is the Obama Administration's actions coupled with their silence and stonewalling when it comes to explaining them.

Again, by holding its ground, Micheletti's government seems to be getting the real Obama to unmask himself.

VIDEO: Did Zelaya Steal Millions Before Leaving Honduras?

The hits just keep on coming with respect to the Constitutional crisis in Honduras. Again, the longer the sitting government sticks to its guns and digs in, the more comes out about ousted president Manuel Zelaya. As it all continues to play out, Obama's stance that Zelaya should be reinstated looks more and more dubious.

The Washington Times is reporting that Zelaya and his former Chief of Staff stole millions of dollars, allegedly to fund the illegal / unconstitutional referendum Zelaya was going to use to retain power.

The Times reports:

A security video from the Central Bank of Honduras made available to The Washington Times shows officials entering the bank June 24 and withdrawing large amounts of Honduran currency. The money was driven to the office of Mr. Zelaya's chief of staff, Enrique Flores Lanza, according to depositions by three witnesses to Honduran prosecutors.

Be sure to watch both videos embedded in the article as they show men wheeling out a large black bag.

Obviously, Zelaya was feeling heat on June 24th (when the money was allegedly withdrawn) because the Supreme Court ordered his removal two days later, a removal carried out by the Honduran military on the morning of Sunday, June 28th.

Two Honduran political opponents of Mr. Zelaya with knowledge of the transactions said Mr. Zelaya planned to use the money in connection with a referendum that if successful would have permitted him to serve a second term as president. The Honduran Supreme Court and Congress ruled the referendum illegal because the constitution limits presidents to a single term.

And go figure. Neither Zelaya nor Lanza are talking but witnesses who are implicating them are remaining anonymous for fear of their safety.

"Evil only succeeds when good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke

If Micheletti's government is in the right and has chosen to stand up for itself in the face of seemingly INSURMOUNTABLE international pressure (which includes Barack and Hillary), just think about what they are accomplishing right now by being patriots whose only shield is their country's Constitution and the political branches / bodies willing to fight for it.

While it is still early, Micheletti and the sitting Honduran government appears to be winning against long odds the longer they hold their position.

And if they continue winning, the Obama administration will come up big losers unless it changes its stance real soon.



h/t to Hot Air for the Washington Times link

Honduras: Modern Day Alamo?

The standoff in Honduras is almost like a political version of The Alamo. The fact that the sitting government led by Roberto Micheletti is still standing its ground after three weeks is literally astounding when one considers that Taiwan and Israel are apparently the only governments that support them.

Sitting president Roberto Micheletti has handed an ultimatum to the Organization of the American States even while expressing concerns that pro-Zelaya demonstrators are showing signs of a rebellion. Micheletti has shown true grit in the face of overwhelming world opposition and continues to do so.

The latest development may also demonstrate who is thirstiest for power. Zelaya was removed and with the help of practically every world and western hemispheric body, has been relentless in his insistence that he be reinstated as president. He was removed because he wanted to use a referendum to bypass his country's Constitution and become 'president' for life.

Now Roberto Micheletti is volunteering to step down under one condition. That Zelaya not be reinstated. The New York Times reports that Zelaya seems much more interested in running Honduras as president than does Micheletti:

Mr. Zelaya has said that he intends to return as president, and he insists that this is not open to negotiation. On Tuesday, he said Hondurans had a right to stage an insurrection against Mr. Micheletti’s internationally isolated interim government.

Keeping in mind that there are three sides to every argument (this side, that side, and the truth), what does this information tell us?

It tells me two things.
1.) Micheletti is putting his country ahead of his desire for power.
2.) Zelaya is not

What does it say that the sitting Honduran government is so adamant that Zelaya not be renistated while Micheletti is willing to step down to ensure it doesn't happen?

The truth appears to be aligning more closely with Micheletti while the world seems all too willing to align with a stooge of Hugo Chavez.

"A lie makes it halfway around the world before the truth can get its pants on."
- Winston Churchill

h/t to Hot Air