Breaking News Golpe de Estado - Coup in Honduras Today.

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Breaking News Coup in Honduras

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_honduras_referendum

Honduran Congress names replacement for president

AP – Honduran president says he's victim of 'coup'

Slideshow:Troops arrest Honduran president

AP – Honduran army soldiers stand in guard at the presidential residency in Tegucigalpa Sunday June 28, 2009. … 14 mins ago

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – The Honduran Congress has named its leader to replace President Manuel Zelaya following his military ouster and forced exile in Costa Rica.

A resolution read on the floor of Congress accuses Zelaya of "manifest irregular conduct" and "putting in present danger the state of law," a reference to his refusal to obey a Supreme Court ruling against holding a constitutional referendum.

By a show of hands, the Congress voted on Sunday to remove Zelaya, and appointed congressional President Roberto Micheletti as the new chief executive, as is mandated by the constitution.

Congress earlier had approved a supposed letter of resignation from Zelaya, but Zelaya said the document was false.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Soldiers seized the national palace and flew President Manuel Zelaya into exile Sunday, hours before a disputed constitutional referendum. Zelaya, a leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said he was victim of a coup.

Hours later, Congress voted to accept what it said was Zelaya's letter of resignation, but Zelaya said the letter wasn't his and vowed to remain in power.

The Supreme Court said it was supporting the military in what it called a defense of democracy, and the Honduran ambassador to the Organization of American States said the military was planning to swear in Congressional President Roberto Micheletti — who is next in line to the presidency — to replace Zelaya.

Zelaya was arrested shortly before polls were to open in a referendum on whether to change the constitution. The Supreme Court ruled the referendum illegal and everyone from Congress to members of his own party opposed it. Critics said Zelaya wanted to remove limits to his re-election.

Tanks rolled through the streets and hundreds of soldiers with riot shields surrounded the presidential palace in the capital, Tegucigalpa. Zelaya, at the airport in the Costa Rican capital, San Jose, called the military action illegal.

"There is no way to justify an interruption of democracy, a coup d'etat," he said in a telephone call to the Venezuela-based Telesur television network. "This kidnapping is an extortion of the Honduran democratic system."

A majority of members of Congress voted with a show of hands to accept a letter of resignation that Congressional Secretary Jose Alfredo Saavedra said was signed by Zelaya and dated Thursday. The letter said Zelaya was resigning because of "the polarized political situation" and "insuperable health problems."

But Zelaya told CNN the letter was "totally false." He told Telesur he would not recognize any de facto government and pledged to serve out his term, which ends in January. He said he would attend a scheduled meeting of Central American presidents in Nicaragua on Monday. He siad Chavez, which is also going, would provide transportation.

Chavez, who along with the Castros in Cuba is Zelaya's top ally, said Venezuela "is at battle" and put his military on alert.

President Barack Obama said he was "deeply concerned" by Zelaya's expulsion and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the arrest should be condemned.

"I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter," Obama's statement read.

Zelaya told Telesur that he was awoken by gunshots and the shouts of his security guards, whom he said resisted troops for at least 20 minutes. Still in his pajamas, he jumped out of bed and ducked behind an air conditioner to avoid flying bullets, he said.

He said eight or nine soldiers in masks escorted him onto an air force plane that took him to Costa Rica.

Chavez said troops in Honduras also temporarily detained the Venezuelan and Cuban ambassadors, beating them.

Zelaya called on Honduran soldiers to desist, urged citizens to take to the streets in peaceful protests, and asked Honduran police to protect demonstrators.

Zelaya ally Rafael Alegria, a labor leader, called for protests.

"We demand respect for the president's life," he told Honduran radio Cadena de Noticias. "And we will go out into the streets to defend what this has cost us: living in peace and tranquility."

About 100 Zelaya supporters, many wearing "Yes" T-shirts for the referendum, blocked the main street outside the gates to the palace, throwing rocks and insults at soldiers and shouting "Traitors! Traitors!"

"They kidnapped him like cowards," screamed Melissa Gaitan. Tears streamed down the face of the 21-year-old, who works at the government television station. "We have to rally the people to defend our president."

Honduras has a history of military coups: Soldiers overthrew elected presidents in 1963 and 1972. The military did not turn the government over to civilians until 1981, under U.S. pressure.

Micheletti has been one of the president's main opponents in the dispute over whether to hold the referendum. The head of the Supreme Court was also opposed to the nonbinding referendum, on whether to ask voters whether they want to convoke an assembly to rewrite the constitution.

It appeared that the vote would no longer take place.

This SHOULD NOT be taken as a Coup d'état

This is still a sad events that the international networks appear to be heavily tilted toward a contrarily view of most Hondurans. the international press is just repeating without knowing the background of the story of what the ex-president manuel zelaya has been trying to do for the past 2 yrs that's is trying to install himself as hugo chavez and other other presidents from his regime has done as a communist dictatorship.

Manuel Zelaya, who broke the constitutional Honduran law in multiple occasions over the last few days, the last and probably the one that lead to his expulsion of the country was trying to change the so call poll he was conducting into a constitutional reform to change the countries constitution and destitute from power the national congress by doing so guaranteeing his indefinite stay in power like the Bolivian and Venezuelan government.

The vast majority of Hondurans firmly oppose Manuel Zelaya and are in favor of his arrest.shown by the fact that not only the congress, the military institution, the opposing party but his own political party was against what he was doing.

The majority of Hondurans are not in favor of Manual Zelaya and are behind with what has been done, they are mainly scare of the increasing rumors of military movements by the troops in Nicaragua and the open treats done by hugo chavez of military involvement by invading the country,the international sector should allow Hondurans to solve this issue through open communication following LEGAL processes. as its been trying to do the the new official Honduran government.

It is NOT ONLY in the interest of Honduras and its citizens that democracy prevails (supported by the events today and Manuel Zelaya’s arrest) but its a increasing concern and feelings of abandonment as most people in the street express they feel as if they have been left alone by the international community, who are being mislead by the propaganda being spread by the follower of hugo chavez added to that they don't see any respond to the disturbing treats he has express in the past days but also in today in the "alba" meeting.

Instead of being appointed international commission to review what has happened. the only step that has set forth been put to action is a "OEA" initiative that sadly enough is composed of 2 representatives of country in the "alba" alliance ( so how much impartiality can we spect from them) and one who is loyalties can be question.

So as the moment the average climate in the cities is one of expectation to what is going to happen, more afraid of a treat coming from the outside more than a internal treat

Excellent well written and thought reply. Some native Hondurans I know concur. I belong to a couple of online group lists dedicated to giving advices to travelers driving from USA/Canada through Central America, since Zelaya came to power corruption among Police has only increased and travelers conducting all type of vehicles with foreign plates are charged exorbitant fees - really mordidas - in Honduras, so these people are reluctant to stay and spend money and stop and see sites in this beautiful country. Hoping a change for the better.

As you stated so well ....."Manuel Zelaya, who broke the constitutional Honduran law in multiple occasions over the last few days, the last and probably the one that lead to his expulsion of the country was trying to change the so call poll he was conducting into a constitutional reform to change the countries constitution and destitute from power the national congress by doing so guaranteeing his indefinite stay in power like the Bolivian and Venezuelan government.

The vast majority of Hondurans firmly oppose Manuel Zelaya and are in favor of his arrest.shown by the fact that not only the congress, the military institution, the opposing party but his own political party was against what he was doing."

I believe as well, as a citizen of USA, "We The People" should impose term limits on members of our own Congress. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Any of you are welcome to agree to disagree with us 2 posters, however, do try to refrain, if possible to "smearing" us personally or trying to insult our intellegence.

I reside in Central America for many many years and have had, in private, heated debates with local associates and friends on both "left" and "right", however there exists mutual respect and no one of us attacks anothers character for having a contrary opinion. The only problem I have ever encountered both f2f and online is from transient travelers and bloqqers on the Web who do not live here, my solution, put my fingers in my ears physically or virtually turn my back and either walk away or delete! Keeps life here in teh "tropics" simple..like it should be. Saludos.

i respect what both of you have written and am grateful to you for sharing. i would really like to get an opposing view expressed here as well, as i believe it is quite a complex issue and i am very interested in different perspectives on it.
thanks, and be well.