Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the people of Honduras

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 619

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the people of Honduras.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 8, 2009

Mr. MACK (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. WAMP, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the people of Honduras.

Whereas in November 2005, Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales was elected as President of Honduras;

Whereas shortly after being inaugurated as President of Honduras, Zelaya forged close ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban rulers Fidel and Raul Castro;

Whereas, on October 9, 2008, Honduras joined the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas (ALBA), an initiative launched by Chavez which includes Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela;

Whereas in March of 2009, President Zelaya issued a decree calling on the National Statistics Institute to hold a popular referendum to determine if the country should include a fourth ballot box during the general elections scheduled to be held on November 29, 2009;

Whereas the fourth ballot box would consult Hondurans about whether the country should convene a national constituent assembly to amend the constitution;

Whereas the Honduras Constitution forbids a president from seeking re-election;

Whereas, on May 21, 2009, the Attorney General of Honduras recommended that the Honduran courts hold that President Zelaya's proposed referendum was illegal and unconstitutional;

Whereas, on May 27, 2009, a Honduran lower court judge declared President Zelaya's proposed referendum illegal;

Whereas, on June 17, 2009, a Honduran Appeals Court upheld the lower court ruling declaring President Zelaya's proposed referendum illegal;

Whereas, on June 19, 2009, the Honduran Supreme Court ordered the Honduran security forces not to provide any support for the proposed referendum;

Whereas, on June 23, 2009, the Honduran National Congress passed a plebiscite and referendum law that prevents referendums from occurring within 180 days of a general election;

Whereas, on June 24, 2009, President Zelaya dismissed the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Minister for refusing to provide support for the proposed unconstitutional referendum;

Whereas, on June 25, 2009, the Honduran Supreme Court ruled that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Minister were to be reinstated;

Whereas, on June 25, 2009, the Honduran National Congress began debate on whether to censure President Zelaya for pushing ahead with his proposed illegal referendum;

Whereas, on June 27, 2009, President Zelaya led a violent mob that stormed a military base to seize and distribute ballots for the illegal referendum;

Whereas several sectors of Honduras were opposed to this referendum, including the legislature, the judiciary, the Attorney General, the Human Rights Commission, the Catholic Church, evangelical groups, business associations, and four of the five political parties represented in the National Congress, including President Zelaya's own party;

Whereas, on June 28, 2009, just hours before the polls were to open for the illegal referendum, the Honduran military arrested President Zelaya pursuant to a court order, and later exiled him from the country;

Whereas the Honduran Supreme Court has stated that the military acted on its orders, and the Honduran Congress passed a decree removing President Zelaya from office and replacing him with the President of Congress, Roberto Micheletti;

Whereas since his removal, Mr. Zelaya has been flown around the hemisphere by Hugo Chavez's private jets; and

Whereas since Mr. Zelaya's inaugural, Honduras has been plagued by lowered living standards as poverty, violence, unemployment, and inflation, which has remained high: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) expresses its strong support for the people of Honduras;

(2) condemns Mr. Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales for his unconstitutional and illegal attempts to alter the Constitution of Honduras; and

(3) calls on all parties to seek a peaceful resolution that is both legal and constitutional.

END