by Erick Galindo & Camila Rodríguez Campo
Nearly 350 hotel workers and housekeepers were joined by prominent women leaders, students, community and clergy leaders on an all-day Bay area tour from Santa Clara Hyatt Regency San Francisco to Grand Hyatt San Francisco, carrying the “Hope Quilt” in its 2nd leg in the 7-city “Hope for Housekeepers” National Tour. (PHOTO COURTESY BY UNITE HERE)
Tensions continue to mount in the Americas with the tumultuous political climate of Honduras. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya’s return to his country under the protection of the 13raizilian Embassy has not only escalated the risk of violence but it has raised the stakes in U.S. chambers.
The rift between Republicans, who support conservative coup-installed president Roberto Micheletti, and Democrats, who defend democratically elected populist Zelaya, is underpinned by a confrontation between Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).
Kerryblocked U.S. StateDepartmentfunding for DeMint’s Oct. 3 trip to Honduras.
The senator’s aides had called the visit a “factfinding” trip, but also told The New York Times that the senator was going to Honduras to encourage the coup government to “resist” U.S. government pressure.
Three other Republican members of Congress accompanied DeMint, and three more, all Cuban Americans, are scheduled to travel there Oct. 5.
Obama Administration policy calls for reinstatement of Zelaya, although U.S. officials stated in the last Organization of Americas meeting that the way Zelaya returned to his own country was irresponsible and foolish. They stressed the importance of recreating a peaceful democratic environment.
Six House members sent a letter to the president of the Honduran Congress on Oct. 3 clarifying that the GOP legislators’ view did not reflect that of the U.S. Congress as a whole, which includes the all-Democrat, 24member Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Arizona’s Raul Grijalva joined 15 other House members in a letter urging Obama to take stronger action against the coup regime.
Despite the U.S. posture and lack of international support for Honduras’ de-facto government, DeMint acquired logistical support for his trip through the U.S. Department of Defense.
The trio of Cuban-American congressional members represent Florida districts.
The Diaz-Balart brothers, Lincoln and Mario, and lleana Ros-Lehtinen, all Republicans, made arrangements to travel to Honduras Oct. 5 to explore whether current U.S. policy is “undermining the democratic aspirations of the Honduran people and vital U.S. national security and commercial interests,” as Ros-Lehtinen framed it.
Zelaya was seized and spirited out of the country on June 28 for what his foes called constitutional violations. Now his associates are attacking Micheletti for suspending constitutional rights. His regime has already tear~ gassed the Brazil Embassy where Zelaya has taken refuge.
The coup government recently ordered the closure of media outlets, including Radio Globo, one of that country’s largest broadcasters. Responding to world reaction, coup leaders later lifted sanctions.
Ros-Lebtinen has remained adamant of her support of Micheletti.
“I am traveling to Honduras to conduct my own assessment of the situation on the ground and the state of U.S. interests in light of the U.S.’s misguided Zelaya-focused approach,” she said.
The de-facto government
gave Brazil a ten-day ultimatum either to give political asylum to Zelaya or to turn him in to the Honduran authorities to keep its diplomatic status. Brazil responded by warning Honduras that invading the Brazilian Embassy would be a major violation of international law.
Ros-Lebtenin explained her visit, “I wish to ensure that the Honduran people and democratic constitutional government have the opportunity to tell their side of the story, given that the international community has ignored the will of the Honduran people throughout this process.”
Neither her fact-finding mission nor those of the Díaz-Balarts included a meeting with Zelaya, Ros-Lebtinen communications director Alex Cruz, traveling with her, told Weekly Report. “It’s not part of our agenda.” Hispanic Link.
