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The government also took at least two television stations off the air and interrupted the broadcasts of others.
At least 10 soldiers, most with rifles drawn, arrived at the hotel where journalists from The Associated Press and the Venezuela-based television network Telesur were staying and unplugged their editing equipment in an apparent attempt to stop their coverage of protests in support of deposed President Manuel Zelaya.
Telesur said military officers also threatened another of its journalists, warning that others would be detained if the network continued to transmit images of protests in support of Zelaya, who was forced into exile on Sunday.
Soldiers also shut down Channel 8, the official broadcaster of the Zelaya government, and another television station sympathetic to his administration in the capital. Honduran reporters also said at least one Tegucigalpa radio station has been forced off the air.
When Zelaya was first arrested Sunday morning, power was cut throughout the capital and all radio and television stations went off the air or simply played traditional "marimba" music. Most networks resumed transmission a few hours later, but they have provided little coverage of the protests outside the military-occupied presidential palace.
The media apparently have been acting on orders from the government, though it is unclear who has been giving them. Soldiers have been posted around some television and radio stations and around the national power and phone companies.
Telesur and CNN en Espanol, the Spanish-language network of CNN, have broadcast news of the protests in Hondurans via cable television, but those transmissions have been interrupted intermittently.
All the hand wringing over Chavez shows a serious case of double standards. He hasn't murdered and tortured his opponents, and the opposition is still legal. Although there is not fair competition, the majority of people in Venezuela did want him to be president. He does not deserve to lumped in the same category as Kim Jong-Il and Saddam Hussein. He's not even as bad as the governments of Egypt and Jordan, to name a couple autocratic US allies.
I'm in agreement with wkdewey above. Also, it can't be pointed out enough that Zelaya broke no laws, but the coup certainly did. What Zelaya did was legal, as explained here: http://counterpunch.com/thorensen07012009.html If it were illegal, Zelaya could have been tried. Instead, he was removed under court order, without trial. This is what some in the US think we should support?
It can't be printed enough for anyone with sense to believe that. Repeating it ad nauseum doesn't make it so. He both violated law and the constitution. He was removed for violation of the Constitution and was given the choice of resigning and leaving or staying to be charged. He resigned (and yes I know there are differences in the descriptions in the events but so far I have the most faith in this one) and went to Costa Rica.
The Congress in Honduras also passed a law making the referendum illegal. A separate new law just for this referendum. Saying that it wasn't broken is like that robbing a bank is only breaking the law after you get away with the money.
As for your link let me just say if we have any respect for other countries at all then I would have to put the opinion of the supreme court of that country ahead of the opinion of a non lawyer from another country with no particular constitutional knowledge of that country. Miranda and Right to privacy are constitutional requirements in the US. Some hack reading our constitution and saying that there is no basis for either does not trump our supreme court.
Here is a translation of the relevant sections of the Honduran Constitution:
Title II, Chapter 3: (citizens)
Article 42: The legal rights of any citizen is lost:
5) If the citizen incites, promotes, or supports the continuance or the re-election of the President of the Republic;
Title II, Chapter 4: (executive power)
Article 238: In order to become the President of the Republic or designated to the Presidency, one must:
3) Be in possession of a citizen's legal rights
From http://www.redcounty.com/memo-president-obama-r...
(yes I know people will hate the origin but lets try to focus on the facts)
The real problem is there wasn't/isn't a clear cut way for the president to be removed. Here in the US it only takes the legislature to remove a president. Why is it so horrible that in Honduras the courts did it?
People also keep hitting on the military removing the pres. Since the military at no time took control of the govt, was under orders of civilian authorities, and never acted unilaterally, the military never had control of the country.
Do I think it was a bad idea? Well I think it would of been better to hold him for trial but I don't live there and the fear of possible unrest may have disturbed officials into making an unwise choice. But then again we don't know what would of happened, maybe it would of been an even worse choice. It seems to have some legal basis, certainly enough that I don't feel I could contradict the Supreme Court of another country on their own constitution. I think that if they get a chance they should address the issue and amend their constitution with a system to better handle things. If they get a chance.
In the end if the election still happens in Nov then I have a hard time seeing the big problem. Z couldn't of run, the constitution will of survived, and Democracy will continue and there would be little or no justification for continued sanctions or other actions.
(I have to say that the arrogance of some people in making statements about the laws and constitution of Honduras is astounding and unnerving. Anyone studying constitutional law knows our US constitution and the constitution decisions is not something some internet hack with 10 min and google translates can make accurate and honest blanket statements. So why do we do it to Honduras?)
The ONLY thing I can see that is unlawful was throwing Zelaya out of the country. They would have been better just keeping him under house arrest while they impeached him, which he certainly deserved.
Umm, dude, what have you have been smoking? That never happened.
Good for Honduras, and its no surprise that an administration which is disregarding aspects of its own Constitution would condemn another government that is enforcing its own.
additionally, zelaya defied the supreme court's reinstatement of the fired chief of the honduran military.
the military and politicians who removed zelaya were correct in their actions, short term. long term thus coup will only be "righteous" if the scheduled elections in 2010 are held and are fair and transparent. obama and his "crack" team at the state department got this all wrong.
The media likes to tell us that poor Mel was just a left leaning socialist and he did great things for the poor in Honduras...like raising the minimum wage. Mel has done nothing for the poor...he talks a great game but the country has no enforcement capability for programs like minimum wage. No one wants to talk about how this humble farmer acquired his money and the scandals he found himself in with the telecommunications companies or the electricity supply for the country. Yeap the good old farmer found ways to drive contracts to suppliers incapable of meeting the requirements of the nations....and yes he was paid for his assistance and yes this fact.
No one wants to talk about the airplanes flying into Honduras from Venezuala, under Honduran Presidential order not be checked by Honduran customs or immigration. No one wants to talk about a President who formed a mob to go and break into an army facility.
Many of the people on these forums have rose colored glasses on and can't begin to understand the reality behind the actions in Honduras. If you think Chavez is not behind this...think again. If you think Ortega and Castro have only just decided to make comments...think again. If you think the leaders of Argentina and Ecuador are only just trying to lend support think again. And for all of those out there that believe having all these folks singing kumbayuh together is good for North America....think again!
Congratulations to the people of Honduras....it is unfortunate the world won't stand with you!