Monday, July 6, 2009

5 U.S. Congressmen Letter to Obama

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza went to Honduras yesterday to deliver his organization’s ultimatum to the new government: reinstate Mel Zelaya to the presidency or be suspended from membership in the inter-American group. Having ruled out a meeting with Honduras’ new President, Roberto Micheletti, Mr. Insulza went instead to the Supreme Court’s offices, where he met with Jorge Rivera, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and three other Justices from the Constitutional Branch.
At these meetings, the OAS dignitary was presented with copies of the criminal indictments against ex-President Zelaya and documents supporting the former executive’s list of violations of the laws and Constitution that led to Zelaya’s removal. Mr. Insulza was advised that the ex-President would be arrested and tried for his crimes if he returned to Honduras, thus leaving no possibility of his reinstatement. The Chief Justice was quoted as saying:

“Our decision has been taken and it is irreversible. You can do as you will.”

Meanwhile, in a statement that underscores the ‘theater-of-the-absurd’ quality of the OAS charade, Mr. Insulza declared this morning that Honduras’ withdrawal from the OAS has no force and effect, because the inter-American body does not recognize the validity of its government’s acts. Apparently, since the OAS recognizes Mel Zelaya, it is his government that the OAS is planning to suspend from membership. Significantly, Mr. Insulza divorced the OAS from any attempt by Zelaya to return to Honduras. After washing his hands off having a foreign delegation accompany the ex-President, he cautioned that his return would cause clashes and violence and suggested that Zelaya should take that into account:
“I believe there is a climate of tension and violence and [Zelaya] will have to evaluate carefully the situation that might result. No one more than him wants to keep the peace and avoid unfortunate events.”
Members of Congress concerned about Zelaya’s possible ties to drug traffic.
Meanwhile, five members of the U.S. Congress, including three from Florida, want to know if the Drug Enforcement Administration has evidence that connects ex-President Mel Zelaya to drug trafficking. In a letter to President Barack Obama, Florida Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Connie Mack, joined by California’s Dana Rochbacher and Michigan’s Thad McCotter, referred to assertions from Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez that the DEA possessed such evidence. The letter concluded that the Administration should not press for the reinstatement of Mr. Zelaya if our law enforcement agencies have evidence that he is involved in drug traffic and asked the President for a direct response.

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