29 June, 2009 – Counterpunch

Could the diplomatic thaw between Venezuela and the United States be coming to an abrupt end? At the recent Summit of the Americas held in Port of Spain, Barack Obama shook Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ hand and declared that he would pursue a less arrogant foreign policy towards Latin America.

• Building on that good will, Venezuela and the United States agreed to restore their ambassadors late last week.

Such diplomatic overtures provided a stark contrast to the miserable state of relations during the Bush years: just nine months ago Venezuela expelled the US envoy in a diplomatic tussle. At the time, Chavez said he kicked the US ambassador out to demonstrate solidarity with left ally Bolivia, which had also expelled a top American diplomat after accusing him of blatant political interference in the Andean nation’s internal affairs.

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29 June, 2009 – marxist.com

Marxist.com (Jorge Martin): The coup in Honduras highlights once again that even mild reforms within the capitalist system cannot be tolerated by the local oligarchies in Latin America and their imperialist masters. But Venezuela teaches that if the masses mobilise reaction can be stopped. Now is the time to mobilise the full force of the Honduran workers and poor.

Early in the morning on Sunday, June 28, a group of 200 soldiers surrounded the residence of the Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, and after a 20-minute gun battle with his 10-man personal guard he was arrested. He was then taken by plane to neighbouring Costa Rica where he gave a press conference denouncing a military coup by ‘right-wing oligarchs,’ calling on the people to mobilise in the streets and promising to come back to the country.

The immediate origin of this reactionary military coup was the conflict over plans by Zelaya to call a referendum on the need for a Constituent Assembly, which was opposed by the right wing dominated Congress, the high command of the Army, and the tops of the judiciary.

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29 June, 2009 – MRZine – Monthly Review

There was a curfew until 6 AM.  The city is militarized.  Hondurans remain in the streets, demanding the return of their president, Manuel Zelaya, keeping a vigil all night.

This Monday morning began in Honduras with people demanding the return of democracy, ready for struggle.  There was a curfew until 6 AM.  The city is militarized, but Hondurans remain in the streets, demanding the return of their president, Manuel Zelaya.

People held an all-night vigil at the gates of the presidential palace, which is occupied by soldiers.  Zelaya supporters are trying to talk to soldiers, pleading them not to betray their country.  Adriana Sívori, a TeleSur correspondent, said that soldiers have been deployed and that they have fenced the area with cars and tanks.

The protesters vow that if the de facto president, Roberto Micheletti, tries to enter the presidential palace, they will not allow it, because it is the home of their legitimate president.

A bonfire is burning about 500 meters from the government palace, and both the youth of the Democratic Unification Party and other organizations opposed to the coup have set up barricades on the main access roads to the zone of protests.

“We Want Mel” and “No to the Coup d’État” are some of the slogans chanted by the speakers, audible all the way up to the government palace, occupied by the perpetrators of the coup.

On Sunday, political and social organizations formed the Popular Resistance Front, which called on the public to go on a general strike of citizens, and trade unions, peasant organizations, and student groups will be participating, beginning this Monday.

Marches and rallies across the country to be held on Monday have been announced as well.

The presidential palace remains surrounded by military tanks, while people hang in there to protest.

Sívori reported that at the international airport foreigners and visitors are trying to leave the country before militarization.

The original article “Honduras amaneció de paro general” was published by YVKE Mundial on 29 June 2009, at 8:51 AM.  Translation by Yoshie Furuhashi.