Update 6: The situation in Honduras Share This /

The Honduran de facto government's decision to issue a decree suspending important civil liberties on Sunday received widespread international condemnation yesterday. As a result, de facto President Roberto Micheletti again made various reversals late Monday, stating that he will consider rescinding the decree, re-inviting the OAS delegation to Honduras after not allowing the delegation to enter the country on Sunday, and offering a "big hug" to Brazilian President Lula da Silva only 24 hours after offering him an ultimatum. Meanwhile, President Zelaya addressed the United Nations General Assembly via cellphone, likening the de facto regime to a "dictatorship." Here is today's update on the situation in Honduras. Past updates can be found here.

• International condemnation emerged yesterday in response to the decree issued by the de facto Micheletti government, which suspends civil liberties such as the freedom of speech and assembly and allowed for warrantless arrests for 45 days. Here are excerpts from some of the statements: U.S. Department of State:

  The United States views with grave concern the decree issued by the de facto regime in Honduras suspending fundamental civil and political rights. In response to strong popular opposition, the regime has indicated that it is considering rescinding the decree. We call on the de facto regime to do so immediately. The freedoms inherent in the suspended rights are inalienable and cannot be limited or restricted without seriously damaging the democratic aspirations of the Honduran people.

  United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon:

  I am deeply concerned about developments in Honduras. A state of emergency has increased tensions. I note that the Congress of Honduras has rejected the suspension of civil liberties and urge that Constitutional guarantees including freedom of association, expression and movement be fully respected. Threats on the embassy of Brazil in Honduras are unacceptable. International law is clear: sovereign immunity cannot be violated. Threats to the embassy staff and premises are intolerable. The Security Council has condemned such acts of intimidation. I do as well, in the strongest terms.

  NGOs and Faith Based Organizations:

  We call on the de facto government of Honduras to restore constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties, respect human rights and freedom of expression, accept international monitoring and mediation, and establish dialogue with the constitutionally elected administration of President Manuel Zelaya.

  Human Rights Watch:

  Honduras's de facto government should immediately rescind an emergency decree that severely restricts press freedoms. ... "Roberto Micheletti has effectively outlawed public criticism," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "This kind of decree has been the norm for authoritarian rulers - from Chile's Pinochet to Cuba's Castros - who tolerate freedom of speech only when it favors the government."

• The Honduran Congress told Micheletti that it would not approve the decree, which Honduran law requires it to do. The president of Congress José Alfredo Saavedra said, "we need to lower the pressure, and all begin to calm down so that we can have a dialogue." Micheletti responded by announcing that he would consult with the Supreme Court to repeal the decree "as quickly as possible." "This decision was made because (Zelaya) was calling for insurrection ... but I'm going to listen to the other powers of the state and we're going to make the most wise decision in the interests of Honduras." The New York Times suggests the move by the Honduran Congress indicates differences within the de facto government: "The congressional response to the decree appears to reflect differences in strategy within the governing coalition, if not in the final goal. While the government seemed willing to disregard international opprobrium in its efforts to muzzle the opposition, the main parties in Congress have a strong interest in finding a political way out of the crisis."
• Hours after Micheletti said he would accept congressional calls to reverse the emergency decree, Honduran General Romeo Vasquez, who oversaw the ouster of President Zelaya, implored all sectors of Honduran society, on Channel 5 television, to join in resolving the country's deepening crisis. "I am sure that Hondurans will find a peaceful solution to the crisis we are facing. All sectors of society should put aside their differences to unite the homeland."
• One day after giving Brazil his 10-day ultimatum to expel Zelaya from the embassy or move him to Brazil, Micheletti sent Brazilian President Lula da Silva "a big hug", and told him not to worry because neither the Police nor the Army would enter the grounds of the embassy.
• Micheletti also reversed his decision to not allow an OAS delegation to come to Honduras, one day after sending the advance mission for the OAS delegation home. On Monday, he invited an OAS mission to visit Honduras on October 7th in order to help start a dialogue between Zelaya and the de facto regime. The advance team, which made up the delegation refused entry into Honduras on Sunday, would be allowed to enter the country on October 2nd.
• Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya addressed the UN General Assembly by cellphone on Monday from the Brazilian embassy during the address of Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Isabel Rodas Bacas. Zelaya called on "the United Nations to give assistance to reverse this coup and to ensure that democracy is available to all nations of the world." He also said, "If there was any doubt that what we have here is a dictatorship, now with everything that has happened in these past 93 days of repression, I believe those doubts no longer exist."
• The OAS held a Special Meeting of the Permanent Council yesterday to discuss the situation in Honduras, however, the international body was unable to agree on the wording of a resolution. All 33 member countries unanimously rejected the expulsion of the OAS delegation from Honduras and expressed concern about the emergency decree issued by the de facto regime, however, a consensus could not be reached on whether it should include a statement rejecting the results of the upcoming elections. The United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and Peru rejected a move to include a statement on the upcoming elections, even though many member countries have assured that they will not recognize them.
• U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Philip Crowley spoke about Honduras during yesterday's daily press briefing:

  I think it’s time for the de facto regime to put down the shovel. With every action, they keep on making the hole deeper. It’s time for the de facto regime to move in a more constructive direction. So far, they have failed to do so. ... We are concerned about the issue of civil rights and human rights in Honduras. It is having a significant impact on the Honduran people. But it’s also the reason why we have said clearly to the de facto regime that because of the environment on the ground, we will not recognize an electoral result as free and fair under the current circumstances. So, in fact, I think the de facto regime was thinking if we just get to late November, get to an election, it will resolve everything. It will not. So you’re quite right; in order to have a viable electoral process, you have to have freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly. And to the extent that the de facto regime takes that away from the Honduran people, it further will exacerbate the situation, which is why we continue to call on the de facto regime to recognize the San Jose Accords, which, in fact, then calls for appropriate international support for an electoral process, including the introduction of election monitors, so that you can have a process that the Honduran people can believe in. It is one of the reasons why we have met with several of the presidential candidates so that we can further make clear to the de facto regime that under the present circumstances we will not recognize the result.