Per CNN, the Honduran government is doing what it can to keep Zelaya out:
Authorities here closed the airport and restricted the airspace over the nation's capital in anticipation of deposed President Jose Manuel Zelaya's announced return Sunday.
The government of provisional President Roberto Micheletti has vowed to arrest Zelaya if he returns and has denied permission for Zelaya's plane to land. Witnesses said the road to the airport in the capital of Tegucigalpa was closed.
Video showed dozens of pro-Zelaya demonstrators marching toward the airport.
Good for them!
Even if the Honduran security forces aren’t as good at crowd control as the New York City police, I’m sure they’ll be able to handle a mere few dozen demonstrators.
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The plane was diverted to El Salvador. Publicity stunt over.
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The Wall Street Journal is the only mainstream paper printing the truth about what's happening in Honduras. There's an op-ed in Monday's paper:
Reason has gone AWOL in places like Turtle Bay and Foggy Bottom. Ruling the debate on Mr. Zelaya's behavior is Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez, who is now the reigning international authority on "democracy."
Mr. Chávez is demanding that Mr. Zelaya be reinstated and is even threatening to overthrow the new Honduran president, Roberto Micheletti. He's leading the charge from the Organization of American States (OAS). The United Nations and the Obama administration are falling in line.
Is this insane? You bet. We have fallen through the looking glass and it's time to review how hemispheric relations came to such a sad state.
Airspace has not been closed. The plane didn't asked for the appropiate permissions. We know that Zelaya doesn't want to come back because he knows that he and some members of his family will be captured and locked up. It was his decision to land in ES and try to negotiate. Try to keep your stories straight.
Posted by: Cornelia | July 05, 2009 at 06:59 PM
Here's an interesting HBD link:
http://alfin2100.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-asians-cant-think-outside-box.html
[HS: And this has what to do with Honduras?]
Posted by: Qwerty66 | July 05, 2009 at 07:55 PM
Bang away with some 35mm if he returns. I doubt any pilot is going to risk his life for Zelaya.
Posted by: Flugbegleiter | July 05, 2009 at 08:24 PM
For the first time in Latin America, the people revolted without bloodshed and violence against a constitutional and democratically elected President for violating laws in their country. Please read the article titled "Obama Manifesto" posted on http://www.cliffyworld.com for additional comments.
Posted by: cliffyworld | July 05, 2009 at 08:52 PM
I would take a perverse enjoyment if this turned out the same way as Abdul Haq's triumphant return to Afghanistan after 9/11.
The Hondourans say "hey thanks, we just reconsidered letting him go" and then kill the guy. That would result in a fun Obama press conference.
Posted by: Turambar | July 05, 2009 at 08:59 PM
I hope my Honduran contrymen will stand up FOR themselves against ALL odds!
I support the leadership of those who ousted Zelaya before it was too late.
They would have never stood a chance, had this Guy turn to The left a bit sooner Or would he had found allies in The HONDURAN military.
If we are a poor nation with democracy, what would we be without it?
Posted by: Carlos | July 05, 2009 at 09:40 PM
"I would take a perverse enjoyment if this turned out the same way as Abdul Haq's triumphant return to Afghanistan after 9/11.
The Hondourans say "hey thanks, we just reconsidered letting him go" and then kill the guy. That would result in a fun Obama press conference."
Not going to happen. Honduras isn't Afghanistan, it's more civilized than that.
Posted by: Peter | July 05, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Maybe it doesn't count as mainstream, but the Washington Times had an editorial explaining the situation correctly.
Posted by: Brandon Berg | July 06, 2009 at 04:29 AM
What we're seeing are typical western knee-jerk reactions to military intervention in the government.
The military, of course imagined to be a shadowy cabal of old men, are up to no good ordering air strikes on protesters and authorizing the use of white phosphorous on them. This they do to permanently assume control of the country so they can, after a program of conscripting everyone from ages 8 to 80 and spending 200% of their GDP on rearmament, turn their little impoverished nation into a global empire (and maybe ethnically cleanse their own country, this is the cherry on top of the paranoid fantasies).
It could not possibly be that they are sensible guardians of the nation who must do undemocratic things to ultimately preserve democracy.
Same with Europe and Turkey. I mean if there's going to be a more or less popular pro-sharia coup, then its just the magic workings of democracy and therefore must be respected, right?
Naive idiots.
Posted by: Anon | July 06, 2009 at 08:14 AM
the problem in my dear country, the Philippines... are the leaders themselves and i hope this not the same happening in Honduras....
Posted by: Marian Rosal | July 08, 2009 at 05:17 AM