News of the Restless

He was able to cross the chained-off border to Honduras from neighboring Nicaragua (and kudos to Daniel Ortega for giving him safe harbor and passage through that country–Augusto Sandino would approve.) In the second video, there’s a minor security incident–Zelaya is approached by an unknown but suspicious individual, who, according to this report at YVKE Mundial, was possibly either a soldier or policeman sent by the coupmongers to infiltrate. The posse of Honduran supporters who were with him would not let the stranger get close enough to Zelaya (who wore no bulletproof vest or body armor of any kind) to do him any harm. The stranger retreated back to Honduran territory.

In the end, though, Zelaya returned to Nicaraguan soil, in order to demand to speak to the coup general, Romeo Vázquez, and to wait for the contingent of loyal Honduran soldiers who were supposed to escort him back to his rightful presidential desk. Cojones? Mel Zelaya haz ’em, and they’re solid, stainless steel.

Not only that, but according to the documentary on Nicaragua recently screened on La Hojilla (see it here, in the first slot), this represents and interesting and ironic karmic turn. During the ’80s, Honduras was used by the US, particularly the CIA and its Contra puppets, as a staging base for anti-Nicaragua, anti-Sandinista military attacks. Now, Nicaragua is turning things around–helping its Honduran neighbors get their democracy back from a bunch of US-backed putschists.

It’s amazing and beautiful to see the co-operation and the solidarity between these progressive forces, uniting throughout Latin America. And it’s not just between Nicaragua and Honduras, but ALL OVER THE AMERICAS. This illegitimate “de facto government” is getting no recognition ANYWHERE.

The tide is definitely turning on this coup and the putschists are unquestionably losing ground (and face!), but things have not yet reached their climax. Stay tuned.

PS: The OAS’s Insulza criticized Zelaya’s gutsy move, but the UN’s Miguel D’Escoto praised it as “heroic and correct”. My money’s on the UN–the OAS is too often a puppet to the US, IMNSHO. Ultimately, though, it will be Zelaya–with the backing of his fellow LatAm progressive leaders–who will resolve this matter definitively, and not any Costa Rican toady or US interloper (yes, Hill, this means YOU. STFU!)

PPS: WTF is up with the Honduran Red Cross? Taking the side of the putschists??? Seriously–WTFF?

PPPS: You know that the fit has really hit the shan when Lula of Brazil–Washington’s pet “good leftist”, in contrast to the “bad” ones in Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, etc.–weighs in and pronounces the coup “not to be tolerated”. Oops, there goes the neighborhood!

PPPPS: And of course, the MASSES of Hondurans with the social justice movements are being stopped at no fewer than six police checkpoints between Tegucigalpa and the border–no doubt to help prevent them from escorting their president back home and acting as a living suit of body armor for the man who refuses to wear Kevlar. Well, at least none of the federales are dumb enough to try to detain Zelaya. Nope, repression always plays better when it’s done only to little “nobodies”–like the majority of Hondurans, say. That way, the media whores can cover it up better and just keep blatting their usual stupid “compromise” crap, no?