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By Scott Morgan
Mark Twain is reported to have said that “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” That point of view is one to consider as an analyst as the Crisis in Honduras continues to escalate.
People forget that within months after assuming office, in 2009, the first major crisis in Central America for the Obama Administration was an effort to rewrite the Constitution of Honduras by then President Manuel Zelaya. This plan was seen as unconstitutional by members of his own government, the Supreme Court and the party itself. However, since at that time there was no mechanism in place to resolve the issue President Zelaya was removed by the Military after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling banning the plebiscite.
Fast forward now to 2017: there has been a change in Washington. The Obama Administration has left the scene and has been replaced by the American voters with Donald Trump. Yet there is another major crisis in Central America centered around Honduran Elections.
However this time, the row is not over a proposed change in the process of governance. The row is about who will maintain the office of President. Incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez has apparently won reelection in what has to be considered an election that was not held under what the International Community considers to be Free and Fair Conditions. The Electoral Commission has been manipulating the results in such a way that the Opposition will have to concede defeat ultimately.
There have been several interesting reactions. There has been no coverage in the US Media in this crisis like there was during the 2009 issue. No well written prose about how Obama and Clinton should address this. There has virtually been no coverage regarding the lack of development in Honduras over the term of President Hernandez. Nor has the media offered ideas to President Trump or Secretary of State Tillerson about how to resolve this situation.
The Security Forces themselves may provide a solution to the ills of Honduras. The Police have refused to go out into the Streets this week - which is a powerful statement. Now the question of how long until the Military comes to the same conclusion remains to be asked.
People forget that within months after assuming office, in 2009, the first major crisis in Central America for the Obama Administration was an effort to rewrite the Constitution of Honduras by then President Manuel Zelaya. This plan was seen as unconstitutional by members of his own government, the Supreme Court and the party itself. However, since at that time there was no mechanism in place to resolve the issue President Zelaya was removed by the Military after the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling banning the plebiscite.
Fast forward now to 2017: there has been a change in Washington. The Obama Administration has left the scene and has been replaced by the American voters with Donald Trump. Yet there is another major crisis in Central America centered around Honduran Elections.
However this time, the row is not over a proposed change in the process of governance. The row is about who will maintain the office of President. Incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez has apparently won reelection in what has to be considered an election that was not held under what the International Community considers to be Free and Fair Conditions. The Electoral Commission has been manipulating the results in such a way that the Opposition will have to concede defeat ultimately.
There have been several interesting reactions. There has been no coverage in the US Media in this crisis like there was during the 2009 issue. No well written prose about how Obama and Clinton should address this. There has virtually been no coverage regarding the lack of development in Honduras over the term of President Hernandez. Nor has the media offered ideas to President Trump or Secretary of State Tillerson about how to resolve this situation.
The Security Forces themselves may provide a solution to the ills of Honduras. The Police have refused to go out into the Streets this week - which is a powerful statement. Now the question of how long until the Military comes to the same conclusion remains to be asked.
[The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dissecting Society]
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