28 June 2009

Hugo Chavez says he will oust those behind Coup in Honduras

South America's surreal political life does not get any better than this: a man who was caught leading a coup d'etat in 1992 in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez that is, comes on TV today and has the unbelievable chutzpah of condemning a coup, but in Honduras against his ally President Zelaya. But if this wasn't incredible enough, Chavez goes on to say that whoever ousted President Zelaya will be ousted in turn. Chavez used the plural "we will oust them", so presumably he was referring to a joint action of his armies and those of his über democratic mates from Cuba, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia... Sadly, the opposition in Venezuela is yet to question the use of public resources and the military in foreign conflicts by Chavez. In any case, do not miss his threats here.

Interference anyone? This from the same man that made a stink only a few days ago when the world condemned, rightly with equal vehemence, the rigging of elections in Iran by Chavez's fundamentalist chummy, Ahmadinejad.

In the meanwhile the OAS, that is that beacon of democratic principles that wants to get America's only communist dictatorship back into its fold and has not said a peep about systematic violations to the Inter American Charter in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador is already working toward reinstating President Zelaya,
who appears to share with the putschist the same regard for the rule of law and the constitution.

The soundest statements thus far, are those of Hillary Clinton:

"We call on all parties in Honduras to respect the constitutional order and the rule of law, to reaffirm their democratic vocation, and to commit themselves to resolve political disputes peacefully and through dialogue".