To: Broken_Clock who wrote (113313 ) 7/29/2010 2:30:17 AM From: Hawkmoon 1 Recommendation Read Replies (2) | Respond to Sounds to me that Zelaya was the one responsible for trying to launch a coup against the Honduran government and constitution and the Honduran Supreme Court and Military stepped in an prevented it:The crisis that led to his removal from office centered around his efforts to change the 1982 Honduran Constitution. Those efforts were strongly opposed by Congress, Supreme Court, the Opposing parties and even his own party (Partido Liberal) in Honduras; the forces behind his removal from office justified their action on the grounds that Zelaya's efforts towards convening a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution were illegal. They alleged that his real motive was to increase his time in office; his term was due to end in January 2010 and the 1982 constitution prohibits presidents from serving a second term. Zelaya denied that his motive was to stay in office, stating that he intended to step down, as scheduled, in January 2010, and noting that his successor would be elected at the same time the vote on whether to convene a constituent assembly would occur.[36]With a congressional majority, the President of Honduras can amend the constitution without any referendum. However, eight articles can't be amended. These include term limits, permitted system of government, and the process of presidential succession.[37] Zelaya refused to give money to the National Electoral Tribunal and the National Persons Registry, which oversee elections in Honduras. It is believed that the reason was to financially asphyxiate the electoral process. [37] The Supreme Court's ruling was supported by Congress, the country's attorney general, top electoral body, and the country's human rights ombudsman, who all said that Zelaya violated the law. [43] Despite the opposition of the other branches of the government, Zelaya moved forward with his plan to hold a consultative poll on 28 June 2009. In Honduras it is a function of the military to assist with election logistics; accordingly, in late May 2009, Zelaya issued a request to the military to distribute ballot boxes and other materials for the poll. The chief of the military, General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, refused to carry this out. In response, Zelaya dismissed Vásquez on 24 May. Subsequently, defense minister Edmundo Orellana and several other military commanders resigned in support of Vásquez. Both the Honduran Supreme Court and the Honduran Congress deemed the dismissal of Velásquez to be unlawful. en.wikipedia.org
