EFE reported this morning that Spain has adopted a hard line concerning the formation of Poririo Lobo Sosa's administration. Spokesmen for the Zapatero government said yesterday that if Micheletti is still in power, or if there are other leaders who supported the overthrow of Zelaya in power, the Spanish government will not recognize the government of Porfirio Lobo Sosa.
The spokesperson expressed the Zapatero government's confidence that when Lobo Sosa takes power on January 27, Micheletti will have retired, and will not pass power to Lobo Sosa. The spokesperson added that recognition would come because "they will erase all the traces of the golpistas, because they will form a government of reconciliation, and they will look for a dignified exit for Zelaya," whom Spain continues to recognize as the constitutional president of Honduras. The Spanish ambassador's return to Honduras depends on what happens on January 27.
This creates a significant problem for Lobo Sosa. Among Lobo's supporters are many considered responsible for backing the coup, like Camilo Atala Faraj, owner of the Grupo Ficohsa, through which much golpista government cash has flowed out into private hands, and ex president Ricardo Maduro, and National Party President, and Mayor of Tegucigalapa, Ricardo Alvarez. Camilo Atala, through his membership in CEAL, is said to have coordinated the contracts by Honduran businessmen with lobbyists in the United States to lobby about the "consolidation of the democratic transition" in Honduras.
One of Lobo Sosa's many gatherings before Christmas was with a group of these advisors, including Camilo Atala. Look for Lobo Sosa to let these "advisors" move into the background, and place their lesser known supporters in Lobo's inner circle and cabinet.
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3 comments:
You have a much more sanguine reading of this story than I do. I think the dictatorship can fulfill the Spanish government's demands by arranging for Micheletti and his cabinet to resign the day before the inauguration. The story you link is sourced anonymously, which makes any determination the assertion questionable. In a sourced story in El Pais, it sounds more like Spain is looking for a figleaf.
--Charles
I have to disagree. You should have read Moratinos's comments after he met with Clinton, at the same time that Valenzuela was irritating Lula and Kirchner in his South American trip.
Moratinos called for much the same thing as this anonymous source, and for that matter, what Clinton and Valenzuela profess we are calling for:
(1) Micheletti must resign
(2) A unity government must be formed prior to January 27
(3) In the first quarter of 2010 a truth commission must be established.
The anonymous source added someting new to the mix (no participation in Lobo's government by coup supporters) which may be, as I pointed out, an impossible condition to meet, but not inconsistent with Moratinos's statements in the past.
Unlike the US, who we both know will recognize the new government no matter what (as Lew Anselem told the OAS back in September), Moratinos has indicated that recognition hinges on full compliance with those conditions.
One of Lobo's requests was for the Prince of Asturias to attend his inaugeration, and so far, that's been ruled out.
Despite his denial that he wants it, Micheletti will do nothing before an amnesty has been passed, because both he and the Military need the amnesty.
The Micheletti cabinet will never resign, they haven't for at least the last 30 years and they will pass on their power to their children, as their parents did with them, since most of them are sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, relatives of other coup leaders or people who participated in coup cabinets before(for instance, Mr. López Contreras is a nephew of last military junta dictator Oswaldo López Arellano).
Their sons, daughters, nephews, etc have posts in embassies outside and posts in the government for life and did before. The fact that they saw their posts and power endangered was the reason for the coup, but these guys are quite old, all of them.. The fact that there are many schools with all of their names on it says a lot of how much power they intend to give away. They intend to remain there forever as heros, although all they have done is kidnapped our state, our resources traditionally.
Honduras is their own private hacienda or animal farm.
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