ALBA Declaration on Honduras Coup D’etat

June 29^th 2009, by Proclamation of the Extraordinary Presidential Council

Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA)

Proclamation of the Extraordinary Presidential Council
Managua, Republic of Nicaragua 29 June 2009

On Sunday the 28^th of June in early hours of the morning, when the Honduran people were getting ready to exercise their democratic will through a poll with a consultative character, promoted by the President of the Republic Manuel Zelaya Rosales to deepen participative democracy, a group of hooded soldiers, who affirmed they had received orders from the High Command of the Armed Forces, assaulted the residence of President Zelaya, in order to kidnap him, disappear him for a number of hours and later expel him violently from his homeland.

Immediately, the people of Honduras reacted like the noble heirs of the legacy of Francisco Morazán [1], in the streets of the cities and towns of Honduras. From the early hours of the morning hundreds of electoral booths received thousands of men and women who attended to exercise their right to vote, and on being informed of the kidnapping of their president, spilled out onto the streets to protest the coup d’etat, giving an example of heroism, to confront, unarmed, the guns and tanks.

Through the screens of Telesur, they managed to break the national and international silence that the dictatorship wanted to impose through closing the state television channel and cutting the electricity supply, aiming to conceal and justify the coup d’etat against their people and the international community - demonstrating an attitude that recalls the worst epoch of the dictatorships experienced in the 20^th century in our continent.

With one single voice, the governments and peoples of the continent reacted condemning the coup d’etat, making clear that in Honduras there is only one President and one government: that of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales. At the same time, we salute the declarations of condemnation, that from very early, other governments of the world began to issue.

In the face of the urgency of the situation, the governments of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America immediately convoke an Extraordinary Presidential Council, with the objective of agreeing on forceful actions to defeat the coup d’etat in Honduras, to support the heroic people of Morazán and to unconditionally re-establish the President Manuel Zelaya Rosales in his legitimate duties.

After analyzing the circumstances which have produced this coup d’etat, in the face of the gravity of the violations of International Law, the multilateral agreements and the accords of our countries with the Republic of Honduras, and in view of the categorical rejection that the international community has manifested in front of the dictatorial government that is trying to impose itself, the member countries of ALBA have decided to withdraw our Ambassadors and leave a minimum expression of our diplomatic representation in Tegucigalpa until the legitimate government of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales is reinstated in its duties.

Likewise we recognise as the only diplomatic representatives of Honduras in our countries, the personnel designated by President Zelaya. Under no circumstances will we accredit personnel designated by the usurpers.

Equally, as full members of the various systems of integration of the continent, we insist that our brother countries of UNASUR, SICA, CARICOM, the Rio Group, the UN and the OAS proceed in the same way in the face of the assailants of the Honduran people.

On the other hand, we have agreed to declare ourselves in permanent alert in order to accompany the valiant people of Honduras in the actions of struggle that they have convoked, and we invoke the content of Articles 2 and 3 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Honduras:

“Art. 2: Sovereignty corresponds to the People from which emanate all the Powers of the State that are exercised through representation. The Sovereignty of the People can also be exercised in a direct manner through a Plebiscite or Referendum. The supplanting of popular Sovereignty and the usurpation of the constituted powers are classified as crimes of Treason against the Fatherland. The responsibility in these cases is imprescriptible and can be deduced to the role or petition of any citizen.”

“Art. 3: No one has to obey neither a usurper government nor those who assume functions or public employment through the force of arms or using measures or procedures that break or fail to recognise that which the Constitution and the laws establish. The acts verified by such authorities are invalid. The people have the right to resort to insurrection in defense of constitutional order.”

As well as the principles of International Law respect the acts of resistance and rebellion of the people confronting the attempts at domination. To the teachers, workers, women, youth, peasants, indigenous peoples, honest business people, intellectuals and other actors of Honduran society, we assure that together we will win a great victory against the coup plotters that aim to impose themselves on the brave people of Francisco Morazán.

Invoking the spirit and though of Francisco Morazán, together with him, we proclaim to the coup plotters: “Men, you who have abused the rights of the people for a sordid and stingy interest! With you I speak, enemies of independence and liberty. If our actions, aimed at acquiring a homeland, can suffer a parallel to those Central Americans that you have persecuted and exiled, I challenge you to present them. Those same people, who have been humiliated, insulted, debased and betrayed so many times, that today are the arbiters of their destiny and ask for our advice, those people will be your judge.”

Those who are leading the coup d’etat must know that it will be impossible to prevail and to make fun of international justice, to which sooner or later they will be subjected. We call on the officials and the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Honduras to rectify and to put their weapons at the service of the people of Honduras and their general commander, President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

The member countries of ALBA, in consultation with the governments of the continent and with various institutions that guarantee the fulfilment of International Law, we are bringing forward measures so that the grave violations and the crimes that are being committed aren’t gotten away with.

The only path that remains for the coup makers to abandon their attitude and to guarantee immediately, unconditionally, and definitely, the return of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales to his constitutional functions.

The Republic of Honduras is a full member of ALBA, and likewise of other regional integration and multilateral organisations, whose membership demand respect of the sovereignty of the people and the constitution. These fundamental conditions, having been violated by the coup makers, the governments of ALBA have decided to maintain all the cooperation programs that we have pre-empted with Honduras through President Zelaya.

Likewise, we propose that punitive measures are applied by all the multilateral integration organisations and mechanisms, which would help to enforce the immediate return to constitutional order in Honduras and would bring about the principles of action that Jose Marti referred to when he said, “Each person does their duty, and nothing can defeat us.”

The governments of ALBA declare ourselves in a permanent consultation session, with all the governments of the continent, in order to evaluate further joint actions that enable us to accompany the Honduran people in the re-establishment of legality and the restitution of the President Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

Two hundreds years since the historic gesture that our peoples have developed throughout the continent, following the timeless example of the General of free men Augusto Cesar Sandino, of Francisco Morazan and faithful to the word of The Liberator Simon Bolivar, we put our hope with the people of Honduras and the peoples of the world for the sureness of victory, as, “all the peoples of the world who have wrestled for freedom have, in the end, exterminated their tyrants.”

[1] Central American statesman, lawyer, orator, and general born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 1792

Translated by Kiraz Janicke and Tamara Pearson for Venezuelanalysis.com

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Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela - Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs- Statement

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemns the coup d’état that the Honduran oligarchy is attempting to perpetrate against the constitutional government of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales and the people of Honduras.

President Manuel Zelaya Rosales was kidnapped, removed from his home by force, rendered incommunicado for several hours, and violently expelled from his country by a group of unpatriotic, coup-mongering soldiers. The hooded soldiers kidnapped Chancellor Patricia Rodas and also arbitrarily detained and beat the Ambassadors of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These shameless soldiers are responsible before national and international laws for the crimes that they are committing and for the violation of the constitution and its laws.

The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela strongly urges the international community to condemn this situation and urges that the necessary measures be taken by us to defeat this coup d’état in Honduras and to reestablish the legitimate government of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

Caracas, June 28, 2009

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Official Statement of Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez on Honduran Coup
Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington

June 30, 2009

On Monday, June 29, 2009 the nine member states of ALBA met in Nicaragua to discuss immediate actions that could be taken in solidarity with the Honduran people following the unconstitutional ousting of their democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya Rosales. Sadly, this marks the first coup d’état in Central American history in over two decades, constituting a brutal attack on democracy waged against a people who know far too well the atrocious suffering caused by military intervention.

It is unacceptable that on the very day when the Honduran people were preparing to exercise their democratic right at the polls in a non-binding survey this atrocious military attack was carried out. The survey, asking whether or not the citizens of Honduras agree with the possibility of voting on a measure that would enable the creation of a constituent assembly through referendum, is a measure that is rooted in Article 2 of the Honduran Constitution.

In response to the coup, the nine member states of ALBA declared yesterday that all Ambassadors would be immediately recalled, leaving the minimal diplomatic representation until the legitimate President, Manuel Zelaya is restored. Secondly, we vowed to only recognize diplomatic appointees of President Zelaya in our own countries and under no circumstances will we recognize those who have forcibly stolen democracy from the hands of their own people.

It is evident by the international outcry witnessed in neighboring countries, as well as those separated by land and sea, that the people of Latin America will never again allow for a return to the days of military dictatorships and coup d’états. As is demonstrated by the brave citizens of Honduras, who risk their lives daily by protesting these unconstitutional actions, the spirit of the Honduran national hero Francisco Morazán Quezada is alive and well in Central America today. Under international law we support the courageous efforts of those peacefully resisting this coup d’état and appeal to other countries and international bodies to do the same and remove their diplomatic representation from Honduras immediately.

Venezuela, as a founding member of ALBA, demands respect for the sovereignty of the Honduran People and their Constitution, and we urge all nations who believe in the universal principles of peace and democracy to follow suit. For it is not only in our words that we can profess our ideals, but more importantly through our actions that we solidify them. We owe nothing less to the brave people of Honduras.

Bernardo Alvarez Herrera
Ambassador of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela in the United States
June 30, 2009

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Statement from Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer on Honduras

Monday, 29 June 2009 press release

This morning I am joined by the Ambassador for Cuba in Antigua and Barbuda His Excellency Mr Felix Raul Rohas Cruz and the Ambassador for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela His Excellency Mr. Javier Lopez.

As members of the Bolivarian Altternative for the Americas – ALBA, we join our counterparts in condemning vehemently the coup d’état staged on Sunday 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.

It was with shock that I also learned of the kidnapping of Foreign Affairs Minister Patricia Rodas and the temporary detention and mistreatment of the Venezuelan, Cuban and Nicaraguan Ambassadors.

Today, I have instructed Antigua and Barbuda’s Diplomats at the Organisation of American States OAS and at the United Nations to fully support every effort to ensure the return of legal order in the Republic of Honduras and the restitution to his duties of Manuel Zelaya, the legitimate Constitutional president of the country.

As a member of ALBA, Antigua and Barbuda does not recognize any government other than the legitimate government of President Zelaya.

Have you ever wondered about the balance between the individual’s freedom to move and the government’s right to remove?

As a government that believes in the right of a people to elect their own government, Antigua and Barbuda expresses our solidarity with the civic and democratic demonstrations of the brotherly people of Honduras who demand the restitution of President Manuel Zelaya to his duties.

Today, The Republic of Cuba, The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Antigua and Barbuda also join with our other six counterparts in calling for the re-convening of the 63^rd session of the United Nations General Assembly to take whatever decisions it considers appropriate, in accordance with its charters and international law.

We also vehemently condemn all acts of violence and demand that the physical safety and security of those individuals apprehended be respected and that they be released immediately.

I conclude by expressing our unconditional solidarity with the people and President of Honduras Manuel Zelaya and call for the principles of democracy and good governance to be immediately restored.

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

June 28, 2009

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.