Zelaya the thief
This hasn’t gotten anything in the way of coverage in American media, but a Catalan newspaper is reporting that the results of the Honduran referendum on expanding President Manuel Zelaya’s term – the one that never actually occurred – were found on computers in the presidential palace. That’s right, before a single illegal ballot had been cast, Zelaya had ensured that he “won” the referendum. Translation courtesy Babalu blog.
Several computers containing the results of the referendum Zelaya wanted to conduct are seized at the Presidential Palace
The National Directors of Criminal Investigation seized various computers from the Presidential Palace that had recorded the supposed results of the referendum to reform the constitution that the deposed leader, Manuel Zelaya, was planning to conduct on July 28, the day he was removed from office.
The official investigation now deals with the possible crime of fraud and falsification of documents due to the fact that some of the certified voting results had been filled with the personal information of individuals that supposedly participated in the failed referendum that did not take place because of the coup.
One of the district attorneys that participated in the operation that took place this Friday showed reporters an official voting result from the Technical Institute Luis Bogran, of Tegucigalpa, in which the specific number of people that participated in table 345, where there were 550 ballots, 450 of which were votes in favor of Zelaya's proposal and 30 were against, in addition to 20 blank ballots and 30 ballots, which were nullified.
The seizure took place on the third floor of the building attached to the Ministry of the Presidency that had been rented to the ex-minister of the Interior, Enrique Flores Lanza. The deputy district attorney, Roberto Ramirez, declared this area as a "crime scene" and, although he did not want to provide further details, said that further evidence had been found that could be categorized as crimes of fraud, embezzlement of funds, falsification of documents, and abuse of authority.
One wonders exactly how many outrages against democracy must occur in Honduras before President Obama decides that he’s made a mistake.
Of all President Obama’s foreign policy screw-ups, this one is the worst simply because it is the easiest one to get right. If you’re on the same side as Raul Castro, Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega – odds are you’re on the wrong side.
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What Cuban newspaper? One published in Miami? This story needs better corroboration. It's easy to fake computer "evidence." One wonders exactly how many peaceful demonstrators have to be beaten, newspaper closed and journalists arrested before you realize you're not "exactly" in the company of freedom-loving angels either.
There was no way for Zelaya to "extend his rule" even if the referendum had been held and passed, and even if he had then gone on to win a binding referendum on the November ballot. The June 28 referendum was nothing more than a non-binding poll of the electorate, asking whether the voters wanted to place a binding referendum on the November ballot to approve a redrafting of the country's constitution. If it had passed, and if the November referendum had been held (which was not very likely) and also passed, the same ballot would have elected a new president and Zelaya would have stepped down in January. So, the belief that Zelaya was fighting to extend his term in office has no factual basis -- although most people who follow this story in the press seem to believe it. The most that could be said is that if a new constitution were eventually approved, Zelaya might have been able to run for a second term at some future date.
I have left 2 reasonably argued responses. Your deletion of both indicates dishonesty on this blogger's part.
Peter, neither of your posts were deleted. You comment on a nearly 5-month-old post and your comments were automatically put in a hold queue because they're on an old post. Try it on another old post and the same thing will happen.
As to your points: Bolshevik Storytelling.
Zelaya was following exactly the same path as his buddy Hugo Chavez. Is Venezuela still a democracy?
The only thing illegal that happened in this entire situation was Zelaya's exile -- he should've been thrown in the slammer.