Arturo Valenzuela represented the United States at the closed session of the OAS today. In it, he openly broke with the majority of the OAS representatives by urging them to accept the results of the November 29 elections in Honduras. Only Panama and the US spoke in favor of recognizing the elections.
It appears that Mr. Valenzuela is something of a dreamer with an active fantasy life. EFE reports (and again there are as yet no English language sources) that Valenzuela said the Micheletti's little vacation opened a space that should help expedite the formation of a unity government.
"We value this step and urge that it facilitate the formation of a national unity government, such as is established in the accord of October 30."
Exactly how does this expedite the formation of a unity government? What actually does Valenzuela think has changed? Micheletti is still in charge of the de facto government. Its not as if anyone else is now calling the shots.
I'm sure Mr. Valenzuela knows that Micheletti's "vacation" does not actually open any space for anything to happen in Honduras, but I guess he can dream....
....but that's not how foreign policy should be made.
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....but that's not how foreign policy should be made.
Nor is it how foreign policy makers usually think.
I think Arturo Valenzuela is far too smart to entertain notions that Micheletti's vacation represents a meaningful breakthrough. He spouts such jibberish only because that's what his job requires at the moment.
The real issue here is that the White House cut a deal with Jim Demint. The White House would recognize the Honduran elections and, in turn, Demint would allow the nominations of Arturo Valenzuela and Thomas Shannon to go forward.
I think Valenzuela knows what the score is.
Two things:
(1) The U.S. line is apparently that it will be a 'Government of National Unity and Reconciliation' as long as it, the coup government itself, proclaims that it is a 'Government of National Unity and Reconciliation'.
It's a name game, rather than some sort of sane measurement of what the government actually represents.
(2) Arturo Valenzuela is highly intelligent and deeply researched, but has it not been the major strain of his work has been that democracies are destabilized by political actors who fail to stay within the bounds of that particular political system's level of stability?
Also, yes, the White House 'cut a deal' with Jim DeMint, but I think Jim DeMint more accurately represented the aims and feelings of the State Department than the State Department felt willing to publicly demonstrate before DeMint provided such a handy excuse.
Also, yes, the White House 'cut a deal' with Jim DeMint, but I think Jim DeMint more accurately represented the aims and feelings of the State Department than the State Department felt willing to publicly demonstrate before DeMint provided such a handy excuse.
I suspect you're right about that. Obviously the pressure was coming from more than just Jim Demint.
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