Honduras leader says country ready to ‘go to war’ as riots flare

Posted by Philip Dru on 6/30/09 • Categorized as International, Obama Administration

Updated (below): Interim president appears to threaten Venezuela; U.S. not calling military-led takeover a “coup”

Clashes flared Monday between Honduran troops and demonstrators protesting the ousting of President Manuel Zelaya leaving several people injured, an AFP photographer said.

“There are riots, police are cracking down … heard shooting. There are some injured,” the photographer said.

“Some 1,500 protesters, some of them masked and carrying sticks, taunted solders and burned tires just outside the gates of the presidential palace in a face-off with security forces,” reported Reuters.

Television images showed demonstrators throwing rocks at police, who responded with a wave of tear gas. The gunshots were reported near the presidential palace.

“Protesters ransacked a Pizza Hut restaurant near the palace and injured customers,” reported Bloomberg. “They threw rocks, broke the door and rushed into the restaurant, said Hever Raudales, an employee.”

Zelaya was ousted from power by the Honduran military on Sunday and whisked away to Costa Rica, sparking international outcry and calls for him to be returned to power.

But within hours Congress had appointed its speaker Roberto Micheletti as interim president until the current presidential term ends in January.

Micheletti, after coming under stern criticism from Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, said, “Nobody scares us,” warning Honduras is prepared to “go to war” if “this gentlemen” interferes, according to the Telegraph.

The Honduran military has “smothered” media since the takeover, Reuters reported. Radio and television news broadcasts were cut off by soldiers.

President Obama condemned the ousting of the country’s president as “illegal,” although U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters that the government has not yet decided to call it a “coup.”

“The Obama administration and members of the Organization of American States had worked for weeks to try to avert any moves to overthrow President Zelaya,” reported The Wall Street Journal.

This is a breaking news update… More soon…

With AFP.

Raw Story

| Monday, June 29, 2009

 

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2 Comments

  1. Rosa
    June 30, 2009 • 11:37 am

    Here is more background on the story, I thought this was informative: http://www.newsy.com/videos/honduras_pajamas_and_a_coup
    From what little I know about it, it is hard to say what is right in the situation. Popularly elected leaders should be respected. However, Zelaya was trying to extend his term so it seems justified. I think if people are protesting they deserve to have the leader they popularly elected.

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