Free and Transparent Elections?

This morning the de facto government published, in La Gaceta, a decree suspending five articles of the constitution for 45 days. Among those articles suspended are the right of free speech (article 72), free assembly (article 78), the free movement (article 81), arrest only with a warrant (article 84), and personal freedom (article 69). The alleged reason for the suspension is Zelaya's call for insurrection.

Article 3 section 1 of the decree says "free circulation is prohibited, restricted by the parameters communicated in nation broadcast on radio and television."

Article 3 section 2 of the decree says "it is prohibited all public gatherings not authorized by the police and military; because if they do, they will be detained and jailed."

Article 3 section 3 says "it is prohibited to publish in any media, spoken, print, or televised, anything that offends human dignity, public functionaries, or questions the law and government resolutions. Any such attempt is an attack on peace and public order." CONATEL will "suspend any radio station, television station, or cable system that does not adjust its programming to fit these restrictions."

Article 4 give the de facto government the right to "detain anyone outside during a curfew or is suspected by the police of causing harm to persons or things; also people who gather with the objective of committing crimes or put their lives in danger."

As El Heraldo notes in its article, the de facto government seeks to avoid the gathering of protesters in support of Manuel Zelaya, and to take off the air Channel 36 and Radio Globo.

Oscar Matute, the Government Minister, said "this absolutely will not affect the electoral process, its not like that." Yeah right.

BTW, La Prensa tells us that this decree has not yet been approved by Congress, so its not yet law, but they are already enforcing it. Congress will not meet until this afternoon.