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INTERVIEW President Manuel Zelaya EXPECTATION OF HONDURAS (2006-2010)

"Resistance is the path to restoring democracy"

An exclusive interview for Le Monde Diplomatique in español

by Christophe Ventura

Published: September 20, 2010 the

There is a little over a year, June 28, 2009, a coup organized by sectors of the right, the armed forces and conducted with Okay, at least tacitly, the administration of the United States, overthrew José Manuel Zelaya, legitimately elected president of Honduras (2006-2010). Since January 27, 2010, Manuel Zelaya is exiled in the Dominican Republic. From there, he heads the National Front for Popular Resistance (FNRP) and led the struggle for the restoration of democracy in his country.

It has been appointed 18 September 2010, member of the "Parlacen - Central American Parliament - which is the regional political forum of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador [1 ]. For the president of Nicaragua of this institution, Jacinto Suárez, " it was inconceivable that Parliament could take a position leading to the denial of political rights of President Zelaya. For its part, the FNRP considers this an important step towards the possibility "that Manuel Zelaya can return from exile . And this despite Honduran popular movement that has won a major political victory despite the continuing crackdown by the government of new President Porfirio Lobo. Nearly 1.4 million Hondurans [ 2] have indeed signed a petition FNPR entitled "Yes to the constitution! "In favor of remaking the Democratic Honduras.

Honduras has become an area of political and diplomatic confrontation between, on one hand, the United States and its allies (Local governments right and center-left conservative [ 3]) and, secondly the progressive states [ 4] of the region. They are opposed to the return of imperial ambitions of the United States and Latin America do not recognize Porfirio Lobo.

In this interview conducted in Santo Domingo, President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras analyzes the situation, explains his geopolitical vision of the Central and Latin America in general, and gives his views on the role played by the United States in the region. It also considers the action of the European Union and this, in conclusion, its strategy to restore democracy in Honduras.

Christophe Ventura: A little over a year after the coup which was subjected to Honduras, and after the "elections" of November 28, 2009 who have installed Porfirio Lobo in power, what is the exact situation of your country in terms of economic and social crisis, political crisis and democratic, repression and violation of human rights, subjects rarely discussed by the media?

Manuel Zelaya: A coup is a tragedy. As described Italian writer Curzio Malaparte, it is a surprising and very violent rupture. An attack power of the state against another state power. In the case of Honduras, the military took power indirectly, through civilians. In my country a year later, we experience the tragic consequences of the arrival in power of the oligarchies of the most extremist and criminal in Central America. Ten families running the country. They control the natural resources, energy and the main means of production, banking, media and both major political parties which have divided the power during the last hundred years. There have been few periods of democracy. Now they have full control over all three branches of government and all institutions, including the armed forces and police.

These families have decided to use the weapons because they had lost political control of the state and no longer had the ability to stop the reforms implemented by our government. This offensive has shown the fragility of new democracies in Central America who were born in 80 years with the Peace Accords and the supposed end of the Cold War.

A year after the coup, almost 99% of the measures implemented during the three and a half years of my government have been canceled: participatory democracy, respect for popular sovereignty, freedom and economic freedom of the press, and also freedom in international relations.

National Congress, controlled by the new president Porfirio Lobo and Micheletti [ 5], repealed the law of citizen participation that gave the people full access to the right to be consulted on all topics of interest National. He replaced the system we had abolished which allowed to organize in favor of large companies of international capital, the proliferation of lucrative contracts in the production of electricity. He ended the regulation we had set up in monetary policy. Thanks to her, we obtained a drastic drop in interest rates for credit to the public. He also suspended the minimum wage law that we had established.
The privileges granted to U.S. transnationals oil, which we had removed, were restored. This Congress broke the international treaty signed with the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of America (ALBA) that we had signed with the socialist countries of South America. He suspended the recovery project of the military base at Palmerola was used by the Southern Command of the Army in North America. We were doing this space the largest civilian airport in Central America. In conclusion, the economy is in recession. It is affected by the drastic reduction in revenue. The fiscal year ends in a negative growth of our economy - along with a 4% consequent decline in investment and the rapid increase in the number of poor.
All this goes against the results of my action. In three years, and for the first time in the history of Honduras, we reduced extreme poverty by more than 12 points and obtained an economic growth of 6 to 7%.

A year after the coup, the political situation is dramatic. The country suffers frequent extrajudicial killings, torture and political killings. Of the nine thousand denunciations of violations of human rights, more than four thousand cases of match those imprisoned, raped, tortured, not to mention the 166 murders of people who are obvious signs of torture and rape. All victims, women and men are known members of the National Front of the Popular Resistance (FNRP). To our shame, the intellectual and material authors of the coup and its crimes continue to perform their functions. They have even been promoted to the highest office in the government of Mr. Porfirio Lobo. Impunity is the heart of the regime.

We can say that since November 2009, (which is when the U.S. government gave support to the regime of dictator Micheletti to organize elections under pressure and persecution of opponents - and attended by only 30% of registered voters -), Washington has assumed fully the actual conduct of the country. And this, as under Micheletti than under his successor, Porfirio Lobo, pretending to ignore that it has not taken a single step towards restoration of democracy and the right of our people.

CV: What are your relations with FNRP? What are the sectors that are most involved? What actions he takes and what are its prospects?

MZ: Today, the opposition has consolidated within the new force known as the National Front for Popular Resistance (FNRP). The Front was born the same day as the coup, in horrible conditions of repression. It is a platform of struggle that gathers all the social and political organizations whose goal is to save democracy group of oligarchs usurpers in power. In July last, during its first national congress, the general coordinator appointed me FNRP movement. My relationship with FNRP have consolidated through the construction of a common goal: refound Honduras. The conduct of the Front operates so sui generis due to my condition of exile.

Today FNRP is limited in its actions. But day after day, growing among the people the need to move towards a political system based on greater citizen participation that can, by peaceful means and participatory, to restore the institutional legitimacy of the state. In the short term, the goal of FNRP is not to convert into a political party because the forces of various trends are involved: workers, farmers, industries organized social democratic movements that have arisen in opposition to the coup, socialists, liberal progressives, and others from political sectors recognize the need to sustain the reforms that we had driven. Currently we are working on a new draft constitution.

We could move more if Washington did not interfere much in the situation and if members of the international community helped to find solutions instead of helping to hide the reality of what is happening in Honduras. I am aware that we live in a world where it is difficult to think freely. When a head of state chooses to do so, international rights, with their governments and their regional partners are betting a "normalization" of forced status quo and leave unpunished the authors of this "violent breach" that 'they have themselves encouraged.

CV: What do you think of the proposal of the United States and Porfirio Lobo organize the reinstatement of Honduras to the Organization of American States (OAS)?

MZ : forces of extreme right our region and North America are making, as they have publicly shown, a control plan of Honduras and use their influence and leverage multiple to create the fiction of a political recognition of the government Lobo, even if they know well that was installed in Honduras a regime unable to answer one of the conditions of recognition set by international organizations.
Without overlooking the fact that on some secondary issues, the president Lobo has shown good will, he must still remember that it controls the entire apparatus media and has implemented a policy of repression in our country. There is no tangible sign of his government showing a real desire to build a genuine dialogue with its opposition, the FNRP and restore democracy. This is the real deal between Hillary Clinton and Porfirio Lobo.

CV: How do you judge the attitude of Washington and President Barack Obama?

MZ: If it is certain that the State Department denied his involvement in the coup, this does not mean he was not fully informed. One of the things he is aware that the Southern Command - which controls the base Palmerola - joined the CIA, the Honduran military and two state powers to impeach the executive. There is enough evidence now to prove it. And as they say in criminal matters, "Who benefits from crime." The
Bible tells us: "You know them by their fruits . It is now easy to understand why Washington insists much and what is his interest to say that in Honduras " everything is back to normal ".

CV: Some media say Porfirio Lobo tries to make a deal with you. The Secretary General of the OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza, after having had an interview with Porfiro Lobo in Miami, came to the Dominican Republic in July to meet you. An agreement would be possible?

MZ: is a media campaign. In reality, the U.S. and his cohorts involved in the coup, do everything to prevent my return. Court proceedings initiated against me by Micheletti during the period when he directed the "de facto government " were required by the Constitution, be rescinded. They have not been. In his report of 30 June, the High Level Commission of the OAS states clearly that such procedures " are politically motivated." Lobo and his government continue to initiate such proceedings against me in order to humiliate me and force me to appear before a judicial co-author of the coup. For my own executioners become my judges. A gross deception ...

CV: The right returned to power in Panama. The center Left Conservative government in Costa Rica and Guatemala. There are ambiguities in El Salvador, the FMLN because governments with a basis which sympathizes with your cause but at the same time, President Mauricio Funes supports the proposed reinstatement of Honduras to the OAS. Some countries like Nicaragua Alba, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela are in your favor. In the international geopolitical context, how do you analyze the configuration of possible alliances in Central America?

MZ : Honduras, as the experts say working on the logic of power, Today is the laboratory of extreme-right in Latin America. An extreme-right trying to paralyze with fear, all attempts at reform. One clearly sees a return to the repressive policies of the twentieth century. The military castes, which have caused so much harm to nations, are back. Porfirio Lobo has rewarded those who made the coup by placing the most important of these figures in his cabinet. And that the goal of sending a message to Democratic presidents from Central America and scare them.

CV: In your opinion, what factors are internal, regional, political and economic factors that may explain this coup?

MZ: Basically, this is totally clear and proven is that the economic interests of U.S. transnational and their local accomplices prevailed in Honduras. They felt endangered by the policies of my government. And especially through our association with Petrocaribe and Alba, which allowed us to have oil at a cheaper price and enjoy discounts on this product [ 6]. In one year, Honduras received more economic and social benefits it has obtained in ten with the United States ... At the domestic level, the fear of the propertied class generated by our proposal to develop a participatory democracy based on the exercise of direct democracy and popular sovereignty has triggered an earthquake. She was afraid of losing its traditional privileges and monopoly of political decisions.

CV: On the political and philosophical, more schools feed your mind. You define yourself as a "liberal pro-socialist." What does this mean?

MZ : When Adam Smith made his initial thoughts on economic liberalism, he did not rule out the social objective of the latter in the sense of a responsibility in the process of wealth creation. But we must understand that the concept of economic liberalism, far from providing these promises, has moved in the opposite direction. Neoliberalism, globalization of commerce, trade and speculative financial legitimate trade or not, patents, agricultural subsidies and protectionist policies of the European Union and Mexico union - USA - Canada is the process of perversion of philosophical liberalism that contains him, a promise of justice.

I consider that a process liberal social purpose is to organize the transfer equitable society at large opportunities that were previously reserved for the elite. This is a transfer process that should move towards the principles of socialism. Prosocialist liberalism is a fight for freedom with justice. That, in essence, an "ideology of transition."

CV: You are exiled in the Dominican Republic. Part of your family still resides in Honduras. How do you live on a personal situation?

MZ: Exile is a torture for the person who suffers, and for his family. It is a forced uprooting. Anything that has a deeper meaning in life a person is affected: the land, people, light, Homeland ... This is particularly true and painful for people like us, come from a rural area where the attachment to the land teaches us to dip deeply into the root of things.

What a relief This sacrifice is the warmth and affection of the Dominican people and the president Leonel Fernandez and his family. The U.S. ambassador to Honduras Hugo Llorenza (accepted for this position by my government in 2008), who had provided help to my family at the beginning of the coup to allow him to leave the country, n has no more right than we breathe the scent of pines that saw me born. Especially when now actively opposes my return, and promotes the impunity of those who led in the blood, the coup d'etat. For thirty

years I struggled with my people to reach the presidency. I am a full time politician. When I return to Honduras, I will take the position that suits me. I will not be a candidate for the presidency because the Constitution prohibits it, but I will be active along with my people in resistance. To do this, I decided to create a Foundation for the Defense of Democracy of the twenty-first century whose mission is to protect it from its enemies, which are those of our people and our victories.

CV: What would your message to the Europeans? What are your expectations for EU governments European?

MZ: I thank the efforts made by countries of the European Union, but they have not been not enough ... even less for a country like Honduras, has been ruled for fifty years by the precepts of the "Washington consensus" and, thus, became the countries of Latin America's poorest and unequal. At the beginning of the crisis, Europe has shown some strength when it condemned the coup. But it has subsequently failed to require a process of restoring democracy. She then acknowledged unconditionally the new regime by market interest and position in contrast to many European social movements and the majority of Latin American governments. The European Union has called Porfirio Lobo to sign the Association Agreement that it wishes to finalize with the countries of Central America.

ignoring the real problems of Latin America faces the recurrence of fascism military coup, Europe has agreed that the government of Porfirio Lobo result of illegitimate elections conducted by a dictatorship. She did nothing until today to prevent the violation of human rights, to contain the repression and persecution of resistance, let alone solve the problem of restoration of democratic order.

Social processes and their progress in Latin America and the Caribbean will not be hindered by transnational commerce even where such influence or overthrow governments of Presidents. My message to the European Right is as follows: they must begin to understand that democracy is not just only do business in Latin America. It is about respecting each other's legitimate demands justice for our peoples, to watch over our institutions and well-being of citizens.

I say to the peoples of Europe and the network of social organizations that support us that we will not disappear until you have managed to restore constitutional legality and democracy in my country.

* Interview conducted by Christophe Ventura to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) July 13, 2010. Reviewed by Manuel Zelaya in his final 27 July 2010.

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Notes

[ 1] The Central American Parliament was established in 1991. The Dominican Republic is also represented by the bias of its National Assembly members appointed.

[ 2] The country has about 7.5 milion people.

[ 3] The Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, Mexico and Chile are the club of countries that have restored trade relations and / or diplomatic with the Government Tegucigalpa.

[ 4] Members of the Alliance Bolivarian Peoples of America (Alba) - Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenandines, Venezuela - as well as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay .

[ 5] Roberto Micheletti led the "de facto government " from the coup to the "elections" of November 28, 2009.

[ 6] Petrocaribe is an agreement from 2005 between Venezuela and fifteen states in the Caribbean and Central America. Under the agreement, Venezuela provides oil preferential prices, the difference with the world price for which loans or providing goods and services by barter.