Could it be true? Reports of US sanctions being enacted

A correspondent pointed us to a posting on the Libertad de Expression Listserve citing a Mexican journalist, Jacobo Zabludosky.

And now Radio Globo is broadcasting the same story, being picked up by a variety of Spanish language news sources in Mexico and Brazil.

Meanwhile, the State Department website confirms reports in the Honduran Press that beginning tomorrow, the Honduran Embassy will not issue new visas to any Hondurans applying for them.

[Update: The New York Times story on this action posted at 7:24 PM cites A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity saying Washington was considering other steps though it was premature to disclose these. Can we hope there might be something to the Mexican journalist's report, below?]

[The NYT article cites Human Rights Watch as calling for more US economic sanctions calling for the Obama administration should directly target members of the de facto government by denying them access to the U.S. banking system and targeting private companies associated with these officials. Human Rights Watch spoke out this week after a group of scholars and activists published an open letter calling for them to take a firmer stand. See Adrienne Pine's letter thanking HRW for taking that action.]

Radio Globo reports that Ambassador Hugo Llorens has been ordered by the State Department not to return to Tegucigalpa.

So take this as either an actual breakthrough or a rumor that tells us what the world community thinks would be the most effective actions against the regime.

Update: Since the OAS commission has now come and gone without evident effect, the last rationale the US had for waiting to act has been removed. Adrienne Pine has published an important statement by 20 Liberal Party congress members who condemn the coup, and call for the signing of the San Jose Accord. These individuals are taking enormous risks, and one hopes the US will not leave them exposed for no reason.

Meanwhile, the police and military are reportedly meeting NOW with Canahuati-- which could be the break, the conversation about removing the one barrier to accepting the San Jose Accord, Micheletti. [Update: live reports on Radio Globo say Micheletti has tripled the guard around his house to more than 50.]

Here is what Zabludovsky said the US sanctions could be; Radio Globo claims the suspension of remittances, one of the main economic supports of Honduras even before the coup, will be in place tomorrow, without citing a source for this:

1. Desconocimiento total del presidente que resultase de las elecciones realizadas bajo el régimen de facto.

[Complete rejection of recognition of any president from elections carried out under the de facto regime]

2. Suspensión total de toda la ayuda económica que todavía Los Estados Unidos están aportando a Honduras.

[Total suspension all economic aid still being given by the US to Honduras]

3. Congelamiento de cuentas bancarias personales de cada uno, y de todos, los golpistas en Los Estados Unidos y en cualquier parte del mundo donde quiera que se hallan registradas.

[Freezing of bank accounts of each one, and of all, the golpistas in the US and in any part of the world where they might have been registered]

4. Congelamiento total del envió de todo tipo de remesas en dinero a Honduras.

[Freezing of all remittances of any type to Honduras]

5. Suspensión de todas las importaciones y exportaciones a Honduras.

[Suspension of all imports and exports to Honduras]

6. Retirar a Honduras del tratado preferencial para las exportaciones de sus productos, incluso de la producción maquilera.

[Removing from Honduras preferential trade status for the export of its products, including products from maquilas]

Update: El Heraldo is confirming today (8/25) that Ambassador Hugo Llorens has been recalled.