Honduras: Is the OAS about to grow a pair?

The Organization of American States (OAS) has often been criticized as being an all-show-no-go type of body, talking a good talk but not having the teeth to get anything done.

That might just change tomorrow. Following on from the strongly-worded statement from the OAS yesteday (the fact the declaration included the words "coup d'etat" in the first line is very significant), tomorrow Tuesday sees an emergency meeting of all 34 members of the OAS. If, as many now expect (perhaps 'hope' is wiser) the OAS hands down a "reinstall Zelaya or Honduras gets kicked out" message to the usurpers currently pretending to run the shop it may mark the moment when the organization gets itself some cojones at long last. From there, it will be fun to watch just how much leverage the OAS gets with bigger players such as the UN. Honduras loses its seat there and it's all over for the milicos.

Whatever happens, tomorrow will a key day in all this Honduras coup d'etat malarkey. Watch this space.

Honduras Coup: the OAS Statement

A good, strongly worded statement from the Organization of American States this evening, roundly condemning the coup d'etat in Honduras. Here's the link and here's the text;

OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL CONDEMNS COUP D’ETAT IN HONDURAS, CALLS MEETING OF MINISTERS AND ENTRUSTS SECRETARY GENERAL WITH CARRYING OUT CONSULTATIONS
June 28, 2009

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) adopted Sunday a resolution strongly condemning the coup d’Etat in Honduras and demanded the immediate and unconditional return of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales to his constitutional duties.

The Permanent Council of the institution held a Special Meeting at the request of OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, who took part in the debate at the Council. Mr. Insulza is currently traveling to Nicaragua to take part in the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Central American Integration System (SICA), which starts Sunday, with the goal of carrying out all necessary consultations.

The Permanent Council also called a Special Session of the OAS General Assembly, to be held at the OAS Headquarters in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

The resolution adopted by the Permanent Council reads as follows:

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

CONSIDERING the grave situation taking place in the Republic of Honduras as a result of the coup d’etat against the government of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, which has produced an unconstitutional alteration of the democratic order, which the Permanent Council rejects and repudiates;

CONCERNED with the break-down of the constitutional order in the Republic of Honduras;

REAFIRMING the importance of strict adherence and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other States;

REITERATING the principles established in the Charter of the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Democratic Charter on the strengthening and preservation of the democratic institutional system in member states, and

RECALLING CP/RES. 952 (1699/09) of June 26, 2009, relative to the situation in Honduras,

RESOLVES:

1. To condemn vehemently the coup d’état staged this morning against the constitutionally-established Government of Honduras, and the arbitrary detention and expulsion from the country of the constitutional president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, which has produced an unconstitutional alteration of the democratic order.

2. To demand the immediate, safe and unconditional return of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales to his constitutional functions.

3. To declare that no government arising from this unconstitutional interruption will be recognized.

4. To instruct the Secretary General of the OAS to urgently attend the meeting of the Central American Integration System (SICA), that will take place in Managua, Nicaragua, and in accordance with Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, to carry out all necessary consultations with the member states of the Organization.

5. To vehemently condemn all acts of violence and especially the reported arbitrary detention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Patricia Rodas, other Ministers of Government, as well as the Mayor of San Pedro Sula, and associated individuals, and to demand that their physical safety and security be respected and that they be released immediately.

6. To immediately convene a special session of the OAS General Assembly to take place at the headquarters of the Organization, on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, to take whatever decisions it considers appropriate, in accordance with the Charter of the Organization of American States, international law, and the provisions of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

7. To instruct the Secretary General to transmit the resolution to the Secretary General of the United Nations.

José Insulza withdraws his candidacy for President of Chile

Insulza (for it is he)

Here's a bit of a shock. After making all the "I'm announcing soon" noises, today José Miguel Insulza has withdrawn from the 2009 Chilean Prezrace before it even started. Here's Bloomie in English, and here's what Insulza said today (via OttoTrans™)

"After a deep and difficult reflection...my presence in the country today has the objective of asking the parties of the Concertation that my name is not considered in the 2009 Presidential definition.....In thanking all those that have given me their support in the last few months, I would also like to declare my decision to remain as Secretary General of the OEA (ottonote; Organization of American States) until the end of my mandate (in 2010)."

He also left the way almost totally clear for Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle to become the Left's candidate for the 2009 vote (well...'The Left' in Chile isn't exactly "Hasta La Victoria Siempre, Comrades", but you know what I mean) . Insulza even went as far as to throw his weight behind Frei (winning him bonus points with the present administation who "viewed with good eyes" Insulza's decision).

Thus Insulza has the honour of being the first person or country to shoot down one of my 2009 predictions in flames. In this post just last week I wrote...

".......my pick for the next Prez, José Insulza. This guy is my idea of a great centre-left politico; hard as nails and smart with numbers. I hope he gets the job and I think he will."

...which just goes to show you, no? As ever, DYODD dude.