I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of Honduras's constitution and system of government. But it sounds like an unpopular guy was trying to hold onto power. The head of the army merely refused to support his referendum. Hes been replaced by the head of the congress on authority of the supreme court. Hopefully there will be a free and fair election.

I'd hardly call it a military coup.

84 "#12 and #13. Their M16 are not loaded."

86 "Where are the pictures of the supporters of the constitution?? This is manipulation from Boston Globe communist style!!!"

Es una lastima que la gente de paises "desarrollados" piensen cosas asi y de otros tipos de cosas (como van a creer que los militares no estan pensando en masacrar a la gente, si el adiestramiento gringo tiene ese fin), no cabe duda que simpatizan con los grupos golpistas y desestabilizadores de toda Latinoamerica, deberian de tratar de vivir esas realidades que nos han heredado a nuestros paises los anteriores presidentes terroristas de norteamerica.

I was living in Honduras when Zelaya was elected and afterward. He is popular with the working class. Everything was fine until he aligned himself with Chavez. I sat through many a day with no work becasue the taxi drivers had cut off all bridges because the gas prices were so high.They expected things to change with the help of Chavez ....It actually got worse. Then to see Zelaya placing his cronies in every possible position without election....working people were starting to change their mind. I know one thing for sure I worked with the "poor" people of Honduras and they did not want him to pull a Chavez routine to stay in power. Do not assume this is just a bunch of rich peple in Honduras afraid of socialism ...Hondurans do not like to be told what to do and many felt like soon he would just not leave office. Noy condoning it just making sure that someone knows it is not just rich peple that wanted him to stop trying to change constitution.

This is the fascism the US always supported in latin america!!!
By the way the pictures are excellent!

I agree with several of the early commentators that this presentation seems biased. However, don't agree on the bias they project. Just reading this sentence shows the bias:
"Earlier this year, the unpopular president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, introduced a referendum as a first step toward drafting a new constitution. Opposition to the referendum was strong, with the Honduran Congress, Supreme Court and military all declaring it illegal."

If the presidente was indeed 'unpopular', why would he ask for a referendum (a measure of popularity)? And if he was really 'unpopular', why would the military, judiciary and the congress act so strongly against that move?

IMHO, this is a blatant coup by a entrenched section with control over the judicuary, executive and military to prevent a popular president from staying/returning to power. And who those entrenched sections represent is clearly evident if you just read through the political history of Honduras (or indeed, most of central america) since the 50s.

---
As for those questioning validity of soldiers firing, just see #18. The smoke from gun and empty casing falling by the side make it amply clear. And unlike many photos from the Iranian riots, here the gun is not angled at 45degrees up, but straight at someone in the crowd.

the pictures are fantastic, but means an occupation from the soldiers that fight agaist a few Ex-president (Dictator) supporters only a part of the moview i saw only one picture of the big honduras people that support this action the honduras people are tired of zelaya that is a partner of chavez cmmunist style

Some of the comments are so disappointing. It seems the anti-Zelaya comments are written in perfect English and reference communism. The inference is that Zelaya is a communist, therefore his followers are also communists. How ancient!. Wasn't the purpose of the change he was proposing an extension to ensure that the people of Honduras would be helped out of poverty. Could be an excuse. But he didn't impose it. It was exploratory. Wasn't it?

So we are down to comments that demonstrate the fight between those who oppose the little people and the little people who 'know' that they are not alone in the country. They are angry. The days of submissiveness and the plight of poverty is ending. The days of force with a bought and paid for press are over. Corporations may think they own and control the networks and major paper outlets, they may think they are furthering the cause of corporate ownership of the world, but it's ending. The rich can't keep control of the poverty and submissiveness forever. Even those soldiers are poor.

This is between the rich and poor.

I am not swayed by the preponderance of contributor comments citing communism. Hackneyed. This is about poverty and how to get over it, out of it and out of the control of the rich - when the rich take the riches, then block sharing the riches and ownership of this planet. Using lies. Using soldiers who are poor.

We have all been in the control of political leaders acting on behalf of the super rich. There are new leaders rising for a better world (whether Zelaya or his follower are among them). These new leaders can't be stopped because the people no longer have to live in ignorance. The pillage and abuse of the people can't go on for decades. The pillage and abuse has succeeded well in the past with the help of the press. None of us know all the details and some of us can't trust some of the people who claim to know the details.

Bravo to this news outlet for these photographs, for whatever details they prove or disprove or for whatever images they leave in our head. Thank you, boston.com and the photographers.. One of these days the timeline of events and the issues of this event will be known to us. In the meantime, coverage in the form of these incredibly excellent photo documents help us. I hope they win some awards.

What about the man hiding behind the girl in #15? Good job.

Las fotos son documentos para la historia, pero su relevancia está en el aspecto humano de la lucha personal que ellas captan, no necesariamente el forcejeo entre multitudes antagónicas: me refiero a la mirada inquisitiva, vigilante,
concentrada pero también aterrorizada del soldado de la nº 33, que parece implorar por su vida y seguridad, tras el escudo que le proporciona precario cobijo.

En ningún país del mundo ninguna autoridad legal está autorizada para deponer por la fuerza de las armas a un presidente elegido por voto popular. Si lo hace, de hecho esa autoridad se coloca en la ilegalidad.

OHH!!....So kidnapping the legally elected President from his bed by militar forces is not a "coup 'etat" ?. Perhaps ...it's Christmas!! ...or Thanksgiving Day!!.
What's the world you are living in? Bastard Fascists!!

There is something much more sacry than the pictures. The coments we can read leave here in this note are realy more terrifiying than the images. Peace please.

your comments demonstrate how little you know about the situation in Honduras. It's disappointing.

This is a very biased gallery. Why did not you show what is going on in Honduras? Why did not you show the pictures of the supporters of the new government. What a shame the Boston Globe just look at one side of the story. It was not a coup. This was enforcement of the Honduran constitution. Be serious and responsible.
In Honduras former President Manuel Zelaya over- stepped his power. The Honduran congress and many other areas of Honduran government ruled his actions as illegal. Most everybody in Honduras knew he was going to be taken out of power in Honduras and the news from the outside world portrays one side, but the view of the Honduran people is not being portrayed very well. As one of my Honduran friends said "They are not in Honduras they don't know"

For the past few months President Manuel Zelaya has been plotting to become a dictator of sorts. He has been associated with leftist groups and was trying to make a fourth ballot. He did all of this so he could become like Hugo Chavez the "dictator" of Venezuela. He was taking the same steps as Hugo Chavez did when he became "dictator". Manuel Zelaya would have asked to run for another term and then indefinitely. He would pull this off by rigging votes. Manuel Zelaya has been known as a very corrupt president. Many Hondurans would not be surprised if he rigged the votes.

When he was taken out of power it may not have been done in the best fashion and it could have been done better, but he had to be taken out of office before the vote. It should not be looked at as a coup at all, because in all reality it really wasn't. Usually when a coup happens it's, because some general in an army want's to be ruler or president. In Honduras it was more of what an American would call an impeachment where a president is on trial and considered to be taken out of office. They didn't have time to do a full trial by U.S. Government standards, because he had to be taken out of office.

The world views this as bad and says it was a coup, but ask the Hondurans. Most of the Hondurans disliked Manuel Zelaya. I can go and ask a Honduran and I have just asked random people and they say they are happy he's out. I have not yet talked to one person who is unhappy about him being out not that there aren't any.

Look at Tegucigalpa, Honduras on the day he was taken out of office there were only about 200 protesters!!! Tegucigalpa has over a million people in it and yet only 200 protested.

The bottom line if Manuel Zelaya had not been taken out of office he would have pushed a fourth ballot and would be on the way to dictatorship.

When he was arrested he tried to make people feel bad for him saying the had big guns and they took me in my pajamas. He knew very well this was coming.

When congress came out with the "resignation" which may or may not be fake, Manuel Zelaya said "I will never resign." That is exactly the point; he won't give up his presidency according to the current law but wants to remain in power longer then the allotted tome given to him.

another US staged coup.

Crowds AGAINST Zelaya have been 50,000 - 80,000 people (stones banned), while crowds SUPPORTING Zelaya have dragged 5,000 - 10,000 persons (typically aggresive and carring stones). It shows that most Hondurans support the change (I found pictures in the spanish-language newspaper www.elheraldo.hn) My friends there say Zelaya has been quite corrupt (believe it or not, even worse than previous presidents) and very likely helping bridge narcotics to the U.S.

Re: #5....Ummm...what kind of military force doesn't even have bolt cutters or something else to cut down a fence?

un comentrio hacerca de las fotos me parece que muestran ecenas muy fuertes de maltrato entre las hermanos de un mismo pais , como puede ser que entre hermanos estemo peleano el uniforme ni las razas no nos hacen diferentes todos somos iguales

As a person FROM Honduras, not someone just reading the propaganda-by a man who was a bus driver and "somehow" became wealthy enough to pay people off..no education yet wants to run a country.. (?!) .think about that for a second (Michelloti) .People must research on their own, whomever posts that the military is oh so concerned with the constitution...do you know Honduras? How corupt it can be? This is no USA people, so you cannot judge from that perspective. Zelaya is well loved by the poor as the only President who actually cares and helps and was doing great things to rebuild ! People wanted him to stay .

Why is the President of the US supporting a communist dictator along with Hugo Chavez? It is because he is one and the same! The people of Honduras DO NOT WANT THIS DICTATOR any more than any free minded people want this in their country - including the US. It is SO obvious that Obama and the UN want total dictatorial control. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!! Hooray for the Honduras courts and military for doing the RIGHT thing for freedom.

El neoimperialista chavez y sus esbirros: correa, ortega y morales forman la cadena del chantaje y de la muerte. Petróleo, coca, cocaina y violaciones son la nueva filosofía de estos lacayos del terror.

US tells us (to Latin America) to preserve democracy as a part of the same political game and help coup de eta's (John Perkins) so what the heck they really want?. Just power ! they care about democracy? they do not they do not care if you're a dictador since your'e doing what they want!! democracy is part of moralistic societies of Latin America but for American we are too moralistic?? do not get it!

Doesn´t look like any of the protesters is over 30. Same here in Europe. Kids take the streets without understanding anything. Poor brainwashed souls.

I am always amazed by the number of "experts" who have never even been to Honduras or even looked at the HONDURAN constitution. Just read Article # 239 of the HONDURAN constitution... Then come back and tell me if it was a coup. By the definition of many of the "Experts" here There was a 'coup' in Little Rock Ark....

#12 and 13, they have no ammo in those rifles...

It amazes me that so many people read a politicized message in the title of this post and in the images presented here by The Big Picture - there is no opinion expressed here; merely facts stated. As I understand it (and this is regardless of who is in the right or who is in the wrong) the international community has nearly unanimously declared this transition of power to be a coup d'etat - this, in my mind, justifies the title completely.

It is my (limited and somewhat uninformed) understanding that the people of Honduras for the most part are unhappy with Mr Zelaya. At the same time, I believe that no person should be able to change a nation's constitution to suit their own personal agenda. However, it seems to me that the actions of the Honduran military, while popular, are illegal (at least, they would be in most countries that are considered to be a democracy).

This is interesting because it felt to me that the Honduran judicial system had already successfully rebuffed the apparent attempt by Mr Zelaya to subvert Honduras' constitutional integrity. It almost seems that the military are using popular support to justify some petty revenge for the (unsuccessful) attempt at removing their commander.

Just a few thoughts...

This IS a fascist coup d'Etat. ES UN GOLPE DE ESTADO OLIGARCA Y FASCISTA.

The whole world is against it.

The militars and their suporters will fall down soon.

VERDADERA DEMOCRACIA PARA HONDURAS.

ES EL RECLAMO DE UN CONTINENTE QUE YA NO QUIERE MÁS DICTADURAS ARMADAS DESDE EL NORTE.

Está muy bien que no quieran a Mel (aunque lo votaron), pues esperen 6 meses más y se va!
SI la consulta para recién formar una asamblea constituyente era el mismo día de la elección presidencial, ¿entonces cómo pueden decir que rompió la ley queriendo ser reelecto?
Otra cosa: Está bien, Mel rompió la ley por no seguir los mandatos de la corte sobre el referendum. La pregunta es ¿Porqué no querían llamar a referendum? Si creen tanto en lo que el pueblo quiere y en la democracia, ¿Porqué tanto miedo?

Very good, let's assume people don't want any more of Mel (even when they voted for him) So, just wait 6 months and he's gone!
If he wanted to have the poll (about wheter or not reforming the constitution, not a reform by itself) the same day the poll for new president was to be held. How can they say they break the law by wanting to be reelected?
And one more thing: Ok, he broke the law by not following the supreme court mandate about the referendum. The question is: If they are as confident about people's oppinions and such believers on democracy, why to forbid the poll?

Make your own conclussions.Just watch the so called "pacific marches" supporting the ex president by a bunch of delinquents payed by himself including Nicaraguan citicens you can see that they are the ones bringing chaos fighting against te police.You can see the differenc from the other side we are peace lovers not anarchist or coupers.I dont believe how this man appears as a victim when the real victim is my beloved country suffering only by the personal ambitions of this man.

If you had these photos and they were taken in Iran, you'd be all over the Iranian government and its troops beating civilian protestors. But your politics say that this leftist President is unpopular, illegal, etc. So the bad people now are the unarmed one's protesting in the streets. I guess it depends on whose ox gets gored.

Whenever a band of soldiers break into a presidential palace, hold the president hostage and send him on a flight to exile, as occured in Honduras last Sunday June 28th, you have a "coup." But, unlike most coup targets in Latin America's treachurous republican history, Honduras's deposed president, Jose Manuel Zelaya, bears the biggest responsibility for his overthrow.A member of the rancid oligarchy he now decries, Zelaya took office in 2006 as the leader of one of the two center-right parties that have dominated Honduran politics for decades. His general platform, his support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and his alliances with business organizations gave no inkling of the fact that halfway into his term he would become a political cross-dresser.Suddenly, in 2007, he declared himself a socialist and began to establish close ties with Venezuela. In December of that year, he incorporated Honduras into Petrocaribe, a mechanism set up by Hugo Chávez for lavishing oil subsidies on Latin American and Caribbean countries in exchange for political subservience. Then his government joined the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America and the Caribbean (ALBA), Venezuela's answer to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, ostensibly a commercial alliance but in practice a political conspiracy that seeks to expand populist dictatorship to the rest of Latin America.Last year, following the script originally laid out by Chávez himself in Venezuela and adopted by Evo Morales in Bolivia and Rafael Correa in Ecuador, Zelaya announced that he would hold a referendum to set up a constituent assembly that would change the constitution that barred him from reelection. Which is exactly what has kept Chavez in power for soo long. In the next few months, every legal body in Honduras -- the Electoral Tribunal, the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Human Rights Ombudsman -- declared the referendum unconstitutional. This is what our country refers to as the so-called CUARTA URNA. I would also like to ad here, that he was even capable of bribing the humble people in the lowest way possible: he went to the doctors of the public hospitals in our capital city of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and he ordered them to deny ANY medical aid to ANYONE who did not sign that they accepted his so-called cuarta urna constituent sheet, and as you all know, the majority of our nation is of poor means, and so had no choice. According to the Honduran constitution (articles 5, 373 and 374), presidential term limits cannot be changed under any circumstance; only Congress can modify the constitution; and political institutions are not subject to referendums. Honduras's Congress, Zelaya's own Liberal Party and a majority of Hondurans (in various online and media related polls) expressed their horror at the prospect of having Zelaya perpetuate himself and bring Honduras into the Chávez fold. In defiance of court orders, Zelaya persisted. Surrounded by a friendly mob, he broke into the military installations where the ballots were kept and ordered them distributed. The courts declared that Zelaya had placed himself outside the law, and Congress began an impeachment procedure.This is the context in which the military, in an ill-advised move that turned a perfectly legal mechanism for stopping Zelaya into a coup, expelled the president. The fact that the constitutional procedure was subsequently followed by having Congress appoint the head of the legislative body, Roberto Micheletti, as interm president, and that the elections scheduled for November have not been canceled, is not enough to dissipate the cloud of illegitimacy that hangs over the new government. This factor has disarmed Zelaya's critics in the international community in the face of a well-coordinated campaign led by Chávez to reinstate him and denounce the coup as an oligarchic assault on democracy.That said, the international response, seeking to reinstate Zelaya without any mention of his illegal acts, has been highly inadequate. The Organization of American States, led by its secretary general, José Miguel Insulza, has acted like Venezuela's poodle. At Chávez's request, Insulza went to Nicaragua, where a summit of the anti-democratic ALBA group became the hemisphere's political center of gravity after the coup. Insulza and other populist presidents said nothing about Zelaya's dictatorial conduct leading up to last Sunday's events and simply echoed Venezuela's self-serving stance. WE THE HONDURAN COUNTRY WISH THAT VENEZUELA STOP HARRASSING OUR NATION, AND INTERFERING IN OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS. WE DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THEIRS. I would also like to ad that the paper materials for the so-called cuarta urna came from the republic of Venezuela. Shouldn`t the OEA be asking themselves why? Why the strong interest from Venezuela`s behalf to donate such expensive material? with what purpose? I will tell you their purporse: CONVERT HONDURAS INTO THE NEXT SOCIALIST REPUBLIC, CARBON COPY OF THEIRS, COMPLIMENTS OF PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ`S ALLIANCE WITH EX PRESIDENT MANUEL ZELAYA. Efforts by other countries, including the United States and many South American governments, to put some nuance into the public statements were neutralized by the spectacle unfolding in Nicaragua, which was widely reported across the Spanish-speaking world. It was sad to see Insulza suddenly remember his organization's Inter-American Democratic Charter in relation to Honduras -- the same rules of democratic conduct that Chávez, Morales, Correa and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega have violated on numerous occasions while the OAS looked the other way.The crisis in Honduras should bring to people's attention this truth about Latin America today: The gravest threat to liberty comes from elected populists who are seeking to subject the institutions of the law to their own sinister whims. Given that scenario, the hemisphere's response to Honduras's crisis has undermined those who are trying to prevent populism from taking the region back to the times when it was forced to choose between left-wing revolution and military dictatorsPlease Join this Group to participate in Discussion.. On this note, I would also like to clarify that if indeed Honduras had been subject to a coup, then the millitary would be in power, but they are not, our president Mr. Roberto Michelletti is in power, the former president of our national congress, and according to our law, the person who should be in charge in this case. Also, ex-president Manuel Zelaya Rosales LIED in public tv during the transmission in CNN saying that he had not destituted the Armed Forces General in charge, Romeo Vasquez, WHICH IS A LIE..HE DID DESTITUTE HIM. He is also the one responsible for all the leftist manifestations that are being held in various cities in our nation, he is responsible for all the manifestations held weeks back from countries like Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, where people had been flown in from these known socialist nations to come and manifest brainwashing people`s heads like Ex-president Zelaya has done to all the rural communities in our country, knowing that sadly our country has a very high illiteracy rate and they are mostly people seeking to be heard, except the things he has promised are sadly false.
PLEASE PEOPLE AT FOX NEWS, LET OUR STORY BE HEARD! I can also get you the letter that our nation`s Cardenal wrote to ex-president Zelaya asking him in very few words to please be a good citizen and patriot and consider if it would be a prudent thing to come back into our country at this moment. To also remember the oath that he took the day that he was sworn in as president: to not lie, not be a traitor and to always defend his country, things that CLEARLY he has not done. What is worse, is that President Hugo Chavez mocked the Cardenal´s adress to the former president and called him a mere parrot.....what kind of person does that to the maximum representative of peace, love and solemnity in a nation?

THANKYOU FOR LETTING ME BE A PART OF THE CHANGE!
WE WANT HONDURAS TO BE A FREE NATION, FREE OF ANY TIES WITH SOCIALISTIC GOV

I wonder what were they reacting to in #12 ... sorry but it really looks funny!

This only shows the power of "Peoples Power". Arroyo of the Philippines should think twice of changing the Philippine Constitution, or else you could be another Zelaya.

answering comment #23 by d'Anconia:

yeah, sure, you protect women and children by menacing them with stones (soldier on the left) and batons (soldier on the right).
and the people are REALLY looking at the soldier with thankfullness and gratitude in their eyes.

please...

Did anyone notice how many of the guns do not have magazines? Surprising isn't it?

Supporters from Mel Zelaya are the ones that made a lot of dangerous marches around the country, throwing rocks to military forces and breaking windows from private stores. Opposition to Mel Zelaya, which are thousands of people are making peaceful marches, they are the ones the you could also focus on, ask them why are they in opposition, they have their reason. The World doesn't know what is exactly occuring in Honduras, so in any possible ways we would like them to be informed, don't be foolished by what many organizations are saying and doing; they don't really know what Mel Zelaya wanted to do.

you can see the guy taking photo #8 in photo #10

I'm a honduran, there was no Coup, but you all need to be here to understand, WE DO NOT WANT CHAVEZ IN OUR COUNTRY, Zelaya is a Chavez Puppet, please, we all know.
Those who support Zelaya, live under lies.

#119. Are you living under a rock?? You are assuming that the people supporting Zelaya behaves the same way they do in the west. Latin politics
ARE NOT western politics! For Zelaya to even think about changing the Honduran constitution, even if its a "non binding" referendum, is just another step to create a socialist state just like Venezuela. He defied the congress and the supreme court knowing his actions are illegal.
I just don't see why people around the world gets all out of whack when Hondurans refuse to be lead by another dictator.
The sooner Dictators are remove the better!

The

Th

I'm a Canadian who lives in Honduras during the winters and am in complete support of the Honduran people and their struggle to uphold their democratic constitution.

Events, inflammatory opinions and misinformed reporting have run rampant this past week and throughout it all I have maintained my full support and strong belief in the actions that have been taken.

The only legal error was to have Mr. Mel put on a plane and sent to Costa Rica -- by law, he should have been charged and placed in jail pending trial -- but this would have incited country wide violence and bloodshed, instigated and PAID FOR by his supporters.

Numerous countries, international organizations and Honduran entities (interim government, Catholic Church) have repeatedly counselled Mr. Zeyala NOT to return and yet he made the attempt.

He deliberately incited supporters to meet him at Toncontin airport and I personally, believe that he should have further criminal charges applied against him for the ensuing violence, injuries and (reportedly) deaths.

Honduras has united its military, judiciary and government assemblies, with Mr. Micheletti as interim president in order to maintain their Constitution and democratic rights for the whole country, not just the elite few.

I am so very proud of Honduras for standing up to the world community, determined to support its own democratic constitution and regard this country as "the little mouse that roared" in the face of misinformed international opinions and threats.

So roar on, little mouse, roar on!

Stephanie Martin, BC, Canada & La Ceiba, Honduras….
At heart, a proud Honduran.

navegando en la web encuentro que la constitucion politica de honduras expresa que; en su articulo 4 de la organizacion del estado textualmente dice: "Nadie debe obediencia a un gobierno usurpador ni a quienes asuman funciones o empleos públicos por la fuerza de las armas o usando medios o procedimientos que quebranten o desconozcan lo que esta Constitución y las leyes establecen. Los actos verificados por tales autoridades son nulos. el pueblo tiene derecho a recurrir a la insurrección en defensa del orden constitucional." , entonces como es posible que una pequeña parte de hondureños reconozcan a un gobierno ilegal, que no fue elegido en las urnas de manera constitucional, esto si es una burla.

He was prosing a "legal election"... with ballots printed in Venezuela... & only planning on conducting said election in friendly areas. Yes, this sounds like democracy at its best.

It wasn't a coup you simpletons. The military was acting under the LEGAL authority of the Honduran Congress & in protection of the Honduran Constitution. Get over the conspiratorial nonsense.

Pictures of mobs and rioting are more interesting than getting pictures of 10's of thousands of peaceful demonstrators walking in support of Honduras.

Honduras is defending its Constitution, Supreme Court and Laws against the mobs of people in these pictures who are from Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua that are being paid 250-300 Lp ($12-$15) a day. Chavez is behind the attempted overthrow of Honduras. He forgot to have a backup plan.

Support the thousands of Hondurans who approve of Mel Zelaya's removal - not these mobs!

I'm not saying Zelaya it's an angel or a paradigm of democracy himself.
I'm just pointing out how the proccess was flawed, misguided and tainted by self interest.

Now the new government is taking away civil liberties which speak volumes about the kind of people they are.

And please stop refering to the word socialism like it's a bad word. Not everyone thinks like you do and not every socialist is bad just like not every capitalist is good. (quite the contray actually).

General Romeo Velasquez is obviously formed in Americas School. He is a good pupil of Hitler enjoying.

I´m tired of people claiming to own the absolute truth. There is no such thing. There one thing clear Zelaya is popular with the poor and unpopular with the rich. It doesn´t matter the amount of people showing off in the streets either pro or against because for every argument there is a rebuttal. The middle class in this country is caught in the middle, not saying what they really think because of the possible retaliations. What seem interesting to me is that the Supreme Court, Legislative and Military committed more violations to the constitution while removing Zelaya that the one he is acussed of wanting to change. There are many details still to be covered that this pictures can show.

Most of the population in Honduras doesn´t have access to a computer with internet access, can hardly speak and write spanish correctly. I want someone to proove me that there is TRUE democracy in Honduras, that every single person (7.5 Million aprox) are represented unbised in National Congress.

In my belief, media coverege has not been impartial enough (both sides) so that we all can see the big picture of what is at stake here in Honduras. There is only ONE media oultet in Honduras that has tried to do so (Diario TIEMPO, Canal 11), and was subject to a granade attack 2 day ago.

When people think that other contries´official should not speak about what is going on in Honduras, I ask myself the following, Why in the heck they have embassies and consulates here? I bet these people is much well informed than the regular honduran. Draw your own conclusions from there!!!

Answer to comment nº 38: What do you mean it`s not balanced? Can't you see, or at least imagine, that the people who support Zelaya are violently repressed by soldiers in their demonstrations, and those who are in favour of the coup (a rich ans privileged minority) are not repressed; furthermore: they are encouraged, so that the illegal authorities can "legitimize" themselves in front of the world? Where are you from, Mars?

This was a coup d'etat, plain and simple.

The Honduran Constitution, like that of most other Democracies, provides several LEGAL, NON-MILITARY remedies to deal with and/or remove a President. Zelaya was highly unpopular and it would have been very simple to use them instead of deploying tanks and kidnapping him in his pajamas. He was gone in 6 months anyway!

A really stupid, amateurish move to launch a military Coup because now Honduras has no legitimate government and legally cannot participate in international trade, receive essential foreign aid etc. Now it is the Honduran people who will suffer.

Great pictures! I'm from Honduras. Live in San Pedro Sula. The ex-president Manuel Zelaya wanted to be another Hugo Chávez ! and here in my country, our people and the Honduran Supreme Court did the right thing in removing someone who wants to be a dictator! It's the will of our people!
We believe in our constitution and we defend the democracy in Honduras!!!

Hondurans and only Hondurans know and have knowledge that this was not a COUP!! We and only we know how the situation was , we fought for democracy and so did our soldiers, im proud of them fighting for their country, nobody makes criticism opinions on U.S soldiers fighting on Irak, our soldiers were forced to act due to the violent acts of Zelaya's followers, we Hondurans are happy that Zelaya is no longer our president, he had no good intentions for my country "comunism" was one of his ideas due that chavez was behind him. We are people that claim that what they did to Ex President Zelaya was the best any one could've done for their country , and we are proud that the people that really do care about HOnduras have responded with peace and support for our troops and new government. We know that with God on our side no one can harm us.
No further say i just share this saying with all of our Honduran People " THOUGH SHALL NOT FEAR A MAN WHO IS NOT CLOSE YO GOD" ...

PROUD TO BE 100% HONDURAN .... VAMOS CATRACHOS JUNTOS TODO ES POSIBLE!!
their country

go to this link http://www.laverdadenhonduras.com/ .....you found here the truth about the lesson of democracy of Honduras to the world.

I just hope that Honduran don't buckle under pressure from other countries to reinstate Zelaya! It 's their country and they have every right to remove a leader who breaks the law, apparently in this case he did.

A lot of people criticize how the Hondurans handled this mess, being kick out of the OAS and such, yet I think what they have done is correct. I'm glad they kick Zelaya out before he turns into another Hugo Chavez. I'm sure if Venezuelan had another chance, they would have kick Chavez out too.
Democracy is not Democracy when the rights of the people are trampled upon.
Viva Honduras!

has anyone else noticed that the soldiers guns are unloaded in several pictures? 12 and 13 for sure.

HI!!!!! CIAO!!!!!!!! HOLA!!!!!!! Es increible lo que sucede en mi pais, pero todavia aun mas increible es que el mundo este tan interesado en nosotros cuando nadie se pronunciado a cerca de lo que sucede recientemente en China donde si hay represion y comprobada contra los medios que fueron sacados de la zona de protesta y contra los protestantes que le fueron cortados los suministros electricos y de comunicaciones con el exterior a diferencia de mi pais en el que todo sigio con normalidad hasta que los organismos extranjeros les dio por darle importancia al Sr. Zelaya con apoyo de 5 presidentes que la comunidad hondureña nos imaginamos todo marcha a la perfeccion en sus paises ya que han sido mas que benevolentes con el tiempo y la presencia que le han dado a esta situacion; lo que parece ser bastante interesante es que estos 5 mandatarios tienen claros intereses y no tienen el menor reparo en demostrarlos.

Zelaya is supported by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and the Castro Regime in Cuba. That's a scary thought and all you need to know.

Honduras, ¿quien respeta la constitución?

Creo que la comunidad internacional y la mayoría de las pueblos libres del mundo no conocen las interioridades y la historia de donde proviene este golpe de estado, este es un país de violaciones de la constitución. aquí se limpian con la constitución los políticos, los militares y los empresarios; veamos un poco de historia, el presidente Mel Zelaya a sido el primer presidente que ha evaluado a sus ministros, el descontento entre su mismo partido viene porque en su primer año de gobierno en su primera evaluación despidió a todos los ministros INCOMPETENTES, acostumbrados a sentarse en una silla, ordenar, tomar cafe y ver como se hacen ricos sin preocuparse por el pueblo, después el presidente preocupado por su pueblo y viendo que los empresarios cada cierto tiempo aumentan el raquítico salario mínimo en un 8% (un salario que antes del aumento del presidente era de $150.00 mensuales) y viendo que los empresarios no se ponían de acuerdo, el presidente lo elevo a un salario de $290 digo digno porque en nuestro pais el alquiler de un cuarto con baño servicio y pila de lavar fuera del cuarto vale $ 78.00 ya podrán imaginarse como puede comer y educarse un hondureño. esto dolió en lo mas profundo a la clase pudiente de nuestro pais, ahora veamos, la clase política, el presidente anterior Ricardo Maduro, un ciudadano panameño radicado en nuestro pais, con padre panameño y madre guatemalteca fue impuesto por el partido nacionalista como candidato y elegido presidente violando todo precepto legal a base de tomas de carreteras disturbios y protestas, posteriormente y en su gobierno se promulga una ley para que los presidentes del congreso no puedan utilizar esa posición como catapulta para ser presidentes, pero al año siguiente el presidente del congreso Pepe Lobo se lanza como candidato alegando que la ley no le afecta a el sino al presidente del congreso de la siguiente legislatura, pierde las elecciones contra Mel Zelaya, Mel Zelaya pone de presidente del congreso a Roberto micheletti y como vicepresidente a Elvin Santos, Ambos estarían inhabilitados según la constitución y las leyes para ser candidatos a la presidencia en la próximas elecciones.

ARTICULO 239.- El ciudadano que haya desempeñado la titularidad del Poder Ejecutivo no podrá ser Presidente o Vicepresidente de la República.
ARTICULO 240.- No pueden ser elegidos Presidente ni Vicepresidente de la República: ……………………..
El Presidente del Congreso Nacional y el Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia no podrán ser candidatos a la Presidencia de la República para el período constitucional siguiente a aquél para el cual fueron elegidos.

Pero, los dos se lanzan como candidatos sin importarles la constitución y sus leyes, pero el pueblo ve que micheletti trata de inhabilitar a Elvin Santos lo que lo convierte en un mártir político, y el pueblo se solidariza con el pero como la ley lo impide pone en la papeleta a otro personaje para que voten por el pero el voto es suyo, al final gana el títere y este le traspasa los derechos a Elvin como que si esto es una hacienda... una vez en la recta del poder Micheletti quien ya se ve en la llanura para el próximo gobierno negocia con Elvin la presidencia del partido Liberal al cual pertenecen ambos, los estatutos del partido no le permiten a micheletti ser presidente de este partido, pero como siempre, rompiendo los estatutos legales establecidos convocan a una asamblea del partido y cambian los estatutos para que Micheletti pueda ser presidente..
dentro de los candidatos de micheletti estaba el hijo de un prominente empresario y politico de nuestro pais que no obtiene ningún voto que lo acredite como legislador, pero micheletti y Elvin negocian para ponerlo en la planilla de diputados aunque no es querido por el pueblo ni obtuvo mayoria de votos...entonces, quien viola la constitucion...y los derecho del pueblo..
posteriormente, ya caldeados los ánimos porque el Presidente Mel Zelaya desea promover leyes que cambien este tipo de situaciones, comienzan en el congreso a tramar un golpe de estado, el diputado Nassar propone un golpe de estado pero dice que sin armas no se puede hacer.. entonces acuden al resentido jefe de las fuerzas armadas a quien por desobedecer una orden presidencial se le habia separado de su cargo porque decía que esta estaba en contra de la constitución, pero acata una orden emanada del congreso totalmente ilegal y en contra de todos los artículos de la constitución, apresa al presidente, su comandante en jefe, el único que le puede ordenar, y lo saca del país en una forma cobarde y vil.. en este momento el jefe de las fuerzas armadas si violo la constitución, ya que lo que hizo no esta amparado en los artículos de la carta magna..
estos son los artículos violados por el congreso y el jefe de las fuerzas armadas..

ARTICULO 3.- Nadie debe obediencia a un gobierno usurpador ni a quienes asuman funciones o empleos públicos por la fuerza de las armas o usando medios o procedimientos que quebranten o desconozcan lo que esta Constitución y las leyes establecen. Los actos verificados por tales autoridades son nulos. el pueblo tiene derecho a recurrir a la insurrección en defensa del orden constitucional.
ARTICULO 102.- Ningún hondureño podrá ser expatriado ni entregado por las autoridades a un Estado extranjero.
ARTICULO 2.- La Soberanía corresponde al Pueblo del cual emanan todos los Poderes del Estado que se ejercen por representación.
ARTICULO 48.- Se prohíbe a los partidos políticos atentar contra el sistema republicano, democrático y representativo de gobierno.
ARTICULO 69.- La libertad personal es inviolable y sólo con arreglo a las leyes podrá ser restringida o suspendida temporalmente
En Honduras Se han censurado todas las emisoras y canales de televisión locales e internacionales que transmiten noticias en forma imparcial, solo se permite las que son afines al actual gobierno de facto
ARTICULO 72.- Es libre la emisión del pensamiento por cualquier medio de difusión, sin previa censura. Son responsables ante la ley los que abusen de este derecho y aquellos que por medios directos o indirectos restrinjan o impidan la comunicación y circulación de ideas y opiniones.
ARTICULO 277.- El Presidente de la República, ejercerá el mando directo de las Fuerzas Armadas en su carácter de Comandante General conforme a esta Constitución, a la Ley Constitutiva de las Fuerzas Armadas y a las demás leyes aplicables.

Jusgue la comunidad internacional y los pueblos libremente electos del mundo, quienes vilolaron los derechos del pueblo hondureño y quienes deben ser juzgados como traidores a la patria.
Ahora bien porque solo las emisoras y los canales de televisión que favorecen a los golpistas estan trabajando, alguien aquí se a preguntado porque se esta violando el derecho de la libre emision del pensamiento, si no callan a CNN por que no esta en Honduras, sino hace Rato que micheletti y sus secuaces la hubieran callado, la libre expresion es el derecho mas grande que tiene un pueblo, antes de ser voceros sin conocer las interioridades, es mejor no opinar, si no se conocen.
Ya alguien analizo la repartición que se hicieron del pastel los politicos para el resto del año? Nadie se ha fijado que hay un 50/50 de los cargos politicos y los ministerios repartidos entre ellos? Y nosotros aquí peleando como tontos y ellos felices por lo que van a obtener sin que les cueste nada….
Por ultimo Hondureños, porque todos lo somos, no apoyemos a un personaje sombrio que ya no tenia futuro en el ambito politico de nuestro pais, después de ser diputado por 28 años, presidente del congreso y vencido en las urnas para Presidente, pero tenia que satisfacer sus ansias de poder aunque fueran por 7 meses… .

And another gesture that speaks volumes about the kind of people the new government are:

Please Google "Billy Joya" and see what you can find.

Well, that's the newly appointed consultant minister in honduras.

Stop lying about this not beign a coup, no one believes you anyway.

By the way, as Paola Flores on comment #58 stated,

MANUEL ZELAYA was NOT democratically elected.

HE COMMITTED FRAUD.

And he even accepts it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Saj_fyfzw34

And that's not the only time he accepts it. He said once that he
paid people to help him with the votes in Olancho, the
state where he is from.

So this is ONLY the BEGINNING of his corrupt government.

I should know, as I am Honduran.

Did you know that Manuel Zelaya got 40 million Lempiras (More than 2.1 million U.S. Dollars) for his illegal referendum? Money which is a big deal for our poor country.

People got paid to support his consult and the votes where already signed. I mean, he just wanted people
to go and vote to make presence, but he already had his votes counted and everything.

Instead of people talking about if it was or it was not a coup, first inform yourself
about what lead to it.

It is an outrage that this coup is not being stopped! This is illegal and against reason and not to mention international law. Zelaya was elected democratically. Even if people do not agree with his political agenda, he was illegally removed. The fact is that having Zelaya is not in the interest of the United States. So it is convenient for the US media to misinform the public. This is nothing out of the ordinary that the US turns the blind eye away from injustice. The US backed many coup in latin america. This coup would not be possible without US approval. There is nothing wrong with Zelaya's politics. What he wanted to do was help the poor.

It doesn't matter what Zelaya was trying to do. The congress, the supreme court, atty general and the military in Honduras had the LAW on their side. They could have defeated the referendum through an opposition campaign or simply arrested him, put him in a Honduran jail (instead of forcefully exiling him) to await his impeachment trial.

That is the only thing that the world community is bothered by; that Honduras didn't trust enough in the democratic process to resolve its internal problem. The world community only wanted to see and know that Zelaya was removed democratically, not through a coup. Even the lawyer of the military admitted that by exiling Zelaya they had ALSO violated the Honduran constituion. So since, Zelaya violated the constitution and the miltiary ALSO violated the constitution should BOTH be expelled? Please be objected.

Had the military just acted on the orders given (to arrest and put in jail), the only loud mouths would have been Chavez, Ortega, Evo, and the Castro bros. It was the military that made a decision not ordered by the supreme court to exile Zelaya. The military was overzelous in their actions and caused this situation. Should they be punished too? They ALSO violated the Honduran constitution.

Anyway, I don't care if Zelaya was trying to dissolve congress in order to replace them all with aliens from the planet mars; there is an expectation for countries that call itselves demcoracies to abide by democratic norms; and Honduras FAILED. Don't try to spin or use your bias about socialism, communism or whatever, remove your emotions and think like a person who lives in a democracy thinks; like this: Zelaya broke the law, he violated the constituion and he deserved to be removed IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT IS TRANSPARENT. No funny business, no trickery, no golpe de estado. Just an impeachment trial, where he gets to defend himself against the charges and hoefully he is convicted, removed from office, banned from politics for 10 years and serve some jail time. Meanwhile, Micheletti gets appointed interim president and preside over the november elections and steps down in January 2010, during Micheletti's short term, his gov't was recognized and there were no threats against much needed foreign aid to Honduras.

I support the people and government of this democracy, in the coup they PREVENTED. I know American journalists need a knee-jerk support reaction for socialists, but people like Zelaya, supported by people like Hugo Chavez (who was flying in the "ballots" for the "vote"), are never elected in a fair election, think they're above the law, are are bad for their people, and the world. I'm glad the people of Honduras stood up against the powerful forces, and defended their constitution.

verygood

"Ok... so you shot every riot the Zelayas supporters made (by the way their objective was to create caos and ruin private property with the help of foreign citizens)... Now please show the Peace march in Tegucigalpa Central Park, in Choluteca, in Ceiba, in Danli, in Tegucigalpa at presidential House, In Tegucigalpa UN building... This where all PEACEFULL and GREATER NUMBER demonstrations of people that where in favor of the destitution of Zelaya."
-Andres

Even Journalists point out only what they like to point out....

To #151, your point would have made more sense if you truly believe Zelayas' intention was to help the poor. Every crooked politician use that avenue to get elected either by making promises or buying their votes. Apparently you never live under a dictatorship well I have and it's no fiesta. The international community condemns the Hondurans for their action but in the end, it's the right action.

The absurd thing is that if Zelaya ever becomes a dictator and starts nationalizing everything in Honduras, I wonder how many people around the world would come running to help the Honduran people kick him out of office.

It's up to the people to keep their government honest and when people fails to do so, dictators are born and brutality follows.

Let Hondurans deal with their internal problems.......IT'S THEIR COUNTRY......not yours!!!!

These pictures show what kind of people support Chavez's friend Zelaya (who likes to play the big man, the Caudillo, with a cowboy hat and has the same moustache as Ortega: pic#3): violent thugs and the underclass.
Long live the Honduran democratic Constitution!

Thank you #122. You eloquently state the truth. Hope that you prevail!

Picture #12 is one motley looking crew. Looks like a picture out of a slapstick comedy! Cracks me up...

As always, great pics.

More wonderful alumni of the School of the Americas are here to protect us from the excesses of democracy. Zelaya being a weaksauce guy does not justify the brutality and violence that Honduras's elites use against their fellow citizens.

#160, Zelaya is a bad man! Don't go off topic by blaming all the violence on the Honduran elite. I'm sure some of them are guilty of something but that's neither here nor there. It doesn't matter who removes a would be dictator as long as its done. People in the west think that they are the only one qualified to be the judge of what a democratic country should be. Such arrogance is beyond belief!!
Don't treat Honduran's as if they are incapable of any rational thought , they are as capable in handling their internal affairs as any other people around the world.

Forget the comments about Zelaya having an evil moustache, forget who had the better designed placards at the demonstations. Forget the remarks about evil dictators and well known demons like Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro.
The reason Zelaya was overthrown and the reason why his supporters are in the streets is that, during his three and one half years in office, he made fundamental changes in whom the government favored with its policies.

Zelaya abolished fees for primary education resulting in 400,000 more children attending elementary schools. One million children received a meal (breakfast or lunch) during the school day. Nearly US$1 billion was spent by the government on education in 2008, according to El Heraldo newspaper of January 29, 2008. Hospitals have more medicines in stock and the program of childhood immunizations has been expanded, including a vaccination against the rotavirus which is a major cause of diarrhea in small children. Beginning in February 2009, the government expected to vaccinate 180,000 children. Where will this program stand with a coup government that considers such social programs to be "communism?"

The government brought electricity to more homes in both urban and rural areas. The Zelaya government estimated that its programs had lowered the poverty level 9.8% from 46% of the population to 36% in 2008, based on a survey of 133,861 households, and created 313,000 new jobs nationally. According to Leticia Solomon, Zelaya angered the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise and the National Industrialists' Association in January when he decreed a raise in the nation's minimum wage.

In the area of agriculture, production of basic food grains under Zelaya increased from 650,000 tons per year to 950,000 tons and the strategic reserve of food grains was four times larger than in 2005. Secretary of Agriculture Hector Hernandez said in January that for 2009, the goal was to produce 1.3 million tons of basic grains from 1.3 million acres, noting that Honduras had the land and the capacity. Will the coup government continue to emphasize food production?

More than his association with Hugo Chavez, more than his pursuit of a constitutional convention that might have allowed for him to run for president again at some future time (but not in time for the next elections, note), the real reasons for Zelaya's overthrow were his change from the centuries old policies favoring the rich elites to policies that improved the lot of the poor. And that's also why the poor have mobilized in his support, and of course why some others demonstrate in favour of the generals..
Some of your correspondents show try to educate themselves rather than expecting some photos to tell them the whole tale

QUE VIVA CHAVEZ Y NUESTRA REVOLUCION DEL CONTINENTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#122, I agree with your assessment and I only hope that you get what you want for you country. The International community should not have boycotted Honduras immediately, but instead find the exact reason of Zelaya's removal. I'm sure that the United State knows what directions Zelaya was directing Honduras and yet they seem to favor his return to office. I wonder what reaction the United States will have when the whole of South America becomes a socialist enclave and a bunch of Anti-American sentiment sweeps across Central and South America? I bet they'd cry foul then. A bad scenario would be is that some of those socialist fanatics decides that America need to pay some past aggression, decide to send terrorist across the border. Then What? The United States will have to fight terrorist living in the same continent! Too bad there are too many short sighted people around the world.

I ONLY CAN SAY THAT WE THE HONDURAS PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD AND DEMOCRACY. A SMALL COUNTRY GIVES A BIG LESSON OF DEMOCRACY. WE NEED PEACE. WE DONT WANT A SYSTEM THAT DENIED GOD AND DENIED THE HUMAN NATURE. WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ROBOTS OR PUPPETS OF MR. CHAVEZ AND CORP.
HONDURAS IS A COUNTRY WITH PROUD AND HONOR. WE HOPE THE REST OF THE WORLD UNDERSTAND WE CAN NOT HAVE MR. CHAVEZ RULING OUR LAND AND LAWS. LET THE HONDURANS SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEM. WE ARE UNITED AGAINST CHAVEZ SYSTEM. GOD BLESS HONDURAS.

Que pudeo decir las Fotos hablan mas que mil palabras , sin comentarios.

Me duele el sifrimiento de muchos de nuestros hermanos; Hodureños todos, civiles o militares, en pro o en contra de cualquier político de turno. yo soy apolítico, pero apasionado por la paz, y me gustaría seguir viviendo en paz como lo hemos estado haciendo desde hace ya muchos años.
Me he envisiado a la libertad que hemos disfrutado y no quisiera perder las prevendas que la libertad ha dado: son conquistas, son resultado de la comprensión y del dialogo permanentes que ha habido en mi patria, conscientes de que necesitamos mejorar, hasta llegarnos a amar como Dios manda, pero bajo un claro concepto Cristiano no totalitarista como se intentó hacer.

Zelaya commited several legal faults, no discussion!!. But for those cases, we have our legal system. Look:

* Army forces took police officers' duties, which is totally wrong!.
* It wasn't ok to capture him early in the morning, because Law states it can't be done before 6 AM, and his right to Habeas Corpus was denied.
* After that, he wasn't taken to a court before a judge to hear his acussations.
* After that, he could 've been sent to jail or home by paying a bail (most probable) to prepare his legal defense.
* After being accused, the Congress could have issued a decree stating Zelaya's unauthorization to rule the country and then choose his successor.
* Following Honduras Constitution, Roberto Micheletti as the leader of Congress, would have take in this situation, the oath as the new President of the nation.

As you can see, there was a legal solution to this problem. Unfortunatelly, is still a mistery who ordered the coup, and also, who gave the order to send President Zelaya to Costa Rica!!!

I've been to Honduras four years in a row, and the country is very dear to me, although I'm American. I have friends that are missionaries there, and I've made friends on my trips there. When Zelaya was elected, there was a change in the country's atmosphere. For one, he tried to restrict what our mission groups could do around Tegucigalpa and the surrounding areas, remnant of Kim Jong Il restricting UN humanitarian aid or Sudan restricting efforts in Darfur.

Mel's deposition was completely legal. Section 6, Article 239 of the Honduran Constitution says that no person who has served as President can serve again after his term. Furthermore, anyone who breaks this law or PROPOSES ITS CHANGE immediately ceases in his occupancy as President and cannot run for a public office for 10 years.
( El ciudadano que haya desempeñado la titularidad del Poder Ejecutivo no podrá ser Presidente o Designado. 
El que quebrante esta disposición o proponga su reforma, así como aquellos que lo apoyen directa o indirectamente, cesarán de inmediato en el desempeño de sus respectivos cargos, y quedarán inhabilitados por diez años para el ejercicio de toda función pública.)

Jose Luis que escribe en la # 147, dice medias verdades y muchas mentiras, no fue el congreso el que derrpoco a Zelaya, fue una orden de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, para arrestarlo por haber violado una serie de Articulos de la Constitucion , el error y lo reconosco fue haberlo expatriado a Costa Rica, pero al mismo tiempo considero, que en ese momento era el menor de los males, si se deja aqui, las Turbas pagadas que ya tenia listo para el fraude de la consulta , hubieran asaltado la prision o el lugar donde su hubiere retenido, sino vean el ejemplo, de como con esa turba multa asalto la fuerza aerea , para recobrar el material que usaria para la consulta y que previamente habia sido confiscada , por ordenes de La Fiscalia General de la Republica y el Tribunal Nacional de elecciones, Antes de eso mas o menos la gente en general, estaba tranquila dejando que terminara su mandato para elegir un nuevo gobernante, de cualquier partido politico que fuere , simplemente terminar la era de Mel , que ya nos tenia crispados, y sobre todo desde que dejo que Chavez viniera a nuestro pais a insultar al pueblo Hondureño en general, y llamar ............. al Cardenal Rodriguez un hombre de paz y amor (No menciono las palabras por respeto a todos uds, los lectores y por respeto al mismo Cardenal), eso nos colmo la paciencia, y desemboco en su necedad o terquedad o mandato de chavez de ir a la consulta cuyos resultados ya todos conociamos, pues era unilateral la consulta ya que nadie la estaba controlando, y las famosas cuatrocientas mil firmas que dice el que le daban el derecho a efectuar esa consulta , habian sido obtenidas , mediante listados de 30 a 40 personas por empleado publico de conseguir so pena velada de tener problemas en sus trabajos y en ciertos casos perderlos, por lo tanto eso era ya violacion tambien a las leyes generales del pais. Fue advertido que estaba en violacion de la Costitucion se le indicaron los articulos , las Leyes que estab infringiendo y se le dijo que si seguia adelante iba a ser apresado, ¿porque no lo hicieron antes ?, Porque habia que agarrarlo con las manos en la masa, ; substraccion de fondos publicos del banco central,envio de material de las consultas en carros alquilados a sus adlateres pagando sumas estratofericas para agraciarse con ellos , etc. etc. etc. , por eso se le puso preso , ya con una orden judicial de arresto, lo demas todos lo conocemos, solo falta que UDS PUBLIQUEN TAMBIENLAS FOTOS DE LAS MARCHAS DE LA LIBERTAD SIMBOOLIZADAS POR LAS CAMISAS BLANCAS Y SOMOS RICOS LOS QUE ESTAMOS EN ESTA MARCHA ES EL 85% DEL PUEBLO EN GENERAL, Y 5% DE LOS PAÑUELOS ROJO NEGRO LOS QUE SIEMPRE EN TODO GOBIERNO PROTESTAN, 5% MAS LOS QUE EN CIERTO MOMENTO ESTUVIERON EN CONTRA DE EL Y FUERON COMPRADOS A TRAVEZ DE PREBENDAS ESPECIALES, COMO ALGUNOS TAXISTAS Y DIRIGENTES SINDICALES Y EL OTRO 5% , SUS SEGUIDORES QUE PAGADOS O NO CON DINERO DE CHAVEZ LE HAN SIDO FIEL Y QUE BIEN POR EL , PUES SIMPRE TENDRA QUIEN LO APOYE CUANDO YA ESTE EN PRISION EN EL MOPMENTO ADECUADO......GRACIAS:.:E.E.

Photos 15 and 32 tell the story of how little men with guns and uniforms, still cowards at heart, bully the vulnerable. If the stats cited by comment #162 (David Lofthouse) are accurate, Hondurans should be paying Mel extra to stay in power for another term. Or does it offend the wealthy -- and visiting missionaries -- to see some of the dire poverty affecting children alleviated by the state? What would allow the country to change its constitution, legally, to allow its presidents to seek more than one term? How would people in the USA like it if their president was allowed one term only?

I also believe this was the worst mistake ever done by the honduran polticians, with the support of the richest families, and the cooperation of the army. There's a huge opinion among the population that Zelaya's rights were violated, because only in a trial one can be accussed and sentenced, just like everyone else.

If I see someone breaking the law, it doesn't mean I have the power to apply justice as I please on that person, does it?

Sera que el motivo del golpe de estado contra el presidente constitucional de Honduras, fue el acuerdo que elevaba el salario minimo, lo cual afectaba los intereses de las transnacionales bananeras y de los empresarios Hondureños que lucran con la miseria de la poblacion.

A lot of people just don't get it! It may seems like extreme reaction to Zelaya's referendum but if you look at it from a non judgmental point of view, you can see that by removing Zelaya from the country, the interim government minimized the amount of potential clashes between Zelaya's supporter and those that opposed him. If he had stayed in the country, I'm sure he would have called for help from his supporter and his socialist dictator friends which I'm sure would send in their cronies which would have definitely lead to bloodshed.

If I understand the translation of the Honduran Constitution, Article 239 is very specific about how long a president can serve and also states that even trying to change how long he can stay is Illegal. The Military under orders from the Supreme Court and Congress remove Zelaya before he create more trouble for the country.

I don't think its wrong for the leaders of any democratic country to remove anyone who ignores the constitution and turn the country into a socialist state.

In theory socialism sounds good. (everybody get equal shares of everything) but in practice its impractical and self defeating purpose. Just look at the failed socialist state in Europe. I honestly don't understand why people continue to try to apply this socio-economic nightmare when past countries failed to make a go of it!

Anyway in the end, its up to the Honduran people to decide who they want to lead them not what the international community wants.

To Stephanie Martin in La Ceiba, Honduras, the Canadian lady, I am happy that you are Honduran at heart, because Hondurans are GOOD,PEACEFUL AND HONEST PEOPLE, I should know, I am one. And Ma'am, you've put it in a nutshell, also that Honduras has been brave enough to stand up to everyone else,so I agree: ROAR ON LIL MOUSE, ROAR ON!!! To the US marine commenting on the cheap & sorry a-%@ uniforms and weapons of the Honduran soldiers, that the canteen case says US on it...just wonder if Chavez facilitated that canteen...and b4 that....how the hell did Chavez get it?! Food for thought, honey, food 4 thought!

To ALL of you taking time and caring enough to comment, THANK YOU! Honduras needs all of our help. To ALL of those passing harsh judgements on how things were done, REMEMBER, other countries'constitutions read differently...Mr. Zelaya broke the law more than once, he betrayed his country and his own people. He was replaced with the agreement of Congress, the Supreme Court and the Military. Have ALL of you forgotten that as president his first and foremost responsibilty is to protect his people and his country???!!! C"on y'all, instead of condemning, you should be helping Hondurans fight Hugo Chavez,and Castro, and all the other self-serving communists that couldn't care less about anyone or anything but themselves. They have no respect for the law, no love for their own country or their countrymen. They have no scruples, they deal in drugs...DRUGS... or have you forgotten also what drugs are doing to our societies, to whole countries...this is a worldwide problem, and it has gotten much much
worse! Hugo Chavez and Mel Zelaya deal in drugs. They don't care a damn about what those drugs do to lives. The Honduran people are fed up, they have said ENOUGH ALREADY! SO, I PLEAD OF YOU....LISTEN AND LISTEN CAREFULLY, GET ALL THE FACTS...QUESTION YOUR SOURCES, THE PRESS IS NOT
TELLING IT ALL, AND NOT EVEN TELLING IT RIGHT. Remember the sayinng: "MONEY TALKS AND BULLSH*T WALKS"?....that's right, even the press can be bought! This is NOT only a HONDURAN matter at hand, this affects MANY COUNTRIES....When there are powerful people with LOTS OF MONEY like Hugo
Chavez manipulating presidents of soooo many countries like his puppets...WHY, AND HOW? B E C A U S E... HE CAN! Because he has OIL and DRUG money and God knows what other kind of MONEY, SO, unfortunately, either everyone steps up to the plate, or DICTATORS WILL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHICH WILL IT BE? As for me, I am very proud of the Honduran people for standing up to Mel Zelaya and to Hugo Chavez, whom SO MANY seem to be so damned scared of! LET US HELP THAT TINY COUNTRY THAT HAS HAD THE COURAGE TO SAY NO MORE OF
THIS, LET US AT LEAST SPEAK UP FOR THEM, SIGN PETITIONS, WHATEVER IT TAKES, SO THAT ITS PEOPLE, A MELTING POT OF SUCH DIVERSE CULTURES, THAT'S RIGHT, A MELTING POT JUST LIKE THE USA AND EUROPE ETC, SO THAT ITS PEOPLE HAVE TO SUFFER NO MORE BECAUSE OF GREEDY BASTARDS THAT DON'T GIVE A CARE ABOUT YOU NOR ME!

Los Cristianos tenemos la responsabilidad de ORAR por nuestras autoridades, empezando por el Señor PRESIDENTE ZELAYA, porque asinos lo dice DIOS en su Santa Palabra. "ORAD POR LOS QUE ESTAN EN EMINENCIA", Y ,no entiendo como realmente personas que se dicen hijos de DIOS, y más aún representantes de DIOS, hablando en contra de las autoridades, y poniendo divisiones entre las familias hondureñas, sembrando sizaña, pues he escuchado a curas, pastores y otros que se dicen cristianos hecharle leña al fuego con sus palabras llenas de odio, y amargura. Que DIOS los perdone.

I would like to invite you to do a little research on the Honduran Supreme Court and how it came about.
The Court that ordered his arrest, which Zelaya argues has sided with the oligarchy and business elite, is the same institution that ruled in favor of the increase in minimum wage that Zelaya decreed early this year and against a motion presented by various small business enterprises asking to be excused from this payment due to their inability to meet this payment without laying off their workers (http://www.heraldohn.com/Pa%C3%ADs/Ediciones/2009/04/30/Noticias/CSJ-deja-vigente-acuerdo-que-incrementa-el-minimo). Needless to say, after the Court's ruling, businesses began to pay the new minimum wage while government institutions did not pay up (http://www.heraldohn.com/content/view/full/108868 As you read this article, you will notice that it states that police officers will be paid up the new minimum wage once the country’s new budget was approved… one that was presented only until the new government assumed power.).
As to how the Supreme Court came about, it is made up of 15 justices: 8 of whom belong to Zelaya’s liberal party. The justices were elected by the Honduran Congress from a list of 45 candidates that was proposed by the following: the previous Supreme Court, the Honduran Bar Association, the Human Rights Commissioner, the Honduran National Business Council, faculty of the School of Law, Civil Society Organizations, and Trade Unions. On the eve of the justices’ election, the Honduran Congress was threatened by members of the Executive Branch to appoint the wife of the Minister of the Presidency, Sonia Marlina Dubón, as a Supreme Court justice in an attempt by this branch to gain control of the Supreme Court (http://www.heraldohn.com/Ediciones/2009/01/27/Noticias/Ferrea-presion-cayo-sobre-el-CN-para-reelegir-magistrados).
Further reading on this matter will lead you to discover that the Executive branch, upon failing to control this institution, once again attempted to breach the Office of the Attorney General as they once again pressured for Mrs. Dubón to be appointed to this office (http://www.heraldohn.com/Ediciones/2009/01/30/Noticias/Ejecutivo-tambien-empieza-a-promover-candidato-a-fiscal).
One has to ask oneself why Zelaya wanted to control these two institutions, and the answer is obvious… but you be the judge.

A little history about the constitution of Honduras, Before this current constitution there have been 15 prior constitutions. This is why this constitution that took effect in 1982 was made open in the sense that can be modified almost to its entirety except 7 articles that are petrus (written in stone) the remaining 371 articles can be modified. The non-changeable articles are: Article 4 (Form Of government) Republican with 3 equal powers Independent, complementary (Executive, Judicial and Legislative), Article 9 (territory), Article 237 (Period of Presidency) 4 years, Article 239 (Can not re-elect) Look Bellow, Article 240 (Who can not be elected president), Article 373 (how you can change the articles of the constitution) and Article 374 (what articles can not be changed). Now why did Zelaya wants a new constitution??? yes to get re-elected.
Art. 239 States that "whomever has held the title of President can not be president Again" it follows with this statement "whomever changes this disposition or promotes its change, along with whomever supports directly or indirectly its change, will cease immediately the post that they hold and will be ineligible to hold office for 10 yeas.
On Jun 25 a executive decree was published in the national newspaper "La Gaceta" that called for a poll to change the constitution.
This automatically fired Zelaya and all that followed him to do the referendum.
Article 242 states how to replace the president, in this case by the president of congress.
Needless to say Zelaya was not president when he was taken away.
There is not a place here in Honduras where Zelaya could have been arrested and kept safe from a mob that would try to release him by force, In that case a blood bath was going to happen. That same mob the broke into the Air Force Base.
Article 375 (This constitution Never Loses its Validity) this is because ti can be changed but the framework stays intact.

Tkans for show this piece of news and these pictures from my country situation to the word, because there are not much information about the Honduras coup. And the information that the fact goberment is giving to other countries. That information is not really truth. The fact goberment is lying (lie) all the time. Now we do not believe in the next election because we are thinking that election will be unclear.

It was a coup d'état in Honduras. We believe that.

Some people have a hard time differentiating between a pro - american fascist democracy and a free democracy... The U.S. has been terrorizing Latin America for decades. Anybody trying to justify the actions taken by the Micheletti government is probably a diluted pro - american turd. What makes you think this is different than any U.S. backed coup? Any support Zelaya receives is a big shaggy beard. C'mon... since when does America try to contain socialism and disfranchise the third world? It's sad that capable Americans are so blind to the true nature of their government... this dazzling negligence seems to be nurtured by the desire of poor countries to be Americanized.

Corporate sphere? Political Sphere? Information war? GET IT????

US and the world is being friendly to Cuba where there is no freedom whatsoever and is punishing Honduras for choosing be Communist free?? Thats not right, actually it is chaging my admiration I used to have towards North American Goverment freedom policies.

He might have meant picture 21, not 20. The stick on the right looks like just a broken piece of wood.

As you could see from pic #15. Look at the carrier where the canteeen of the soldier...U.S it shows on the carrier. The weapon of choice of Hondiras army is the M-15...The U.S weapon that the U,S army also carries. The U.S Supplies the army since the Contra thing in the 80's The coup has had help from CIA. Nobody when the coup happened died. By orders of U.S to have a clean coup and follow the Honduras Constitution in which Honduras did to a tee. Also during the coup was to kick the ambassadors out from Bolvia and Velenzuela...which they did the same day they put Zelaya on a plane to Costa Rica

Estas fotos muestran una parte minima de lo que esta sufriendo el pais, en este momento, nadie pero nadie puede vivir en un estado de sitio, que pais puede soportar Toques de queda, tras toques de queda, en donde nos obliquen a estar encerrados en nuestras casa por mas de 50 horas, son poder salir a comprar agua, arroz, frijoles, leche. Mas del 70% del pueblo hondureño es pobre, solo los ricos (los que hoy dieron el golpe de estado) se dan el luco de llenar sus alacenas de alimentos y pueden quedarse encerrados por semanas, la mayotia vive al dia, compra lo que necesita al dia. Les ruego a los que opinan a favor del Golpe, que piensen en un momento lo que sentirian estar presos dentro de sus casas.

Aqui se trata de salvar la institucionalidad, la democracia, el derecho a sr consultados y SOBRE TODO se trata de que estamos cansados de ser explotados por los TURCOS que han chupado este pais por Decadas. O es que no saben quienen son los dueños de este pais. Pues sepanlo, son los Turcos y ya estamos hartos de eso.

Manueal Zelaya first went against the consitution when he went against the order of the supreme court to stop the Chavez style referrendum in honduras. so he should stop calling for the rule the rule of law to take its course in his favor. what goes around comes around. If he loves his country as he claims then he should humble himself and go quietly.

I have been observing the situation happened in Honduran.though staging coup d'etat is internationally unaccepted,at a zero hour,with no alternative it seems unquestionable.positively,let us judge governments like in Eritrea,Zimbabwe,Saddam's Iraq,Taliban's Afghanistan...In such situation what should be the option? in fact the process must be in line with the security of the country/like in Honduran/.After all, the case behind each coup d'etat is directly or indirectly related with America and the west.

To Julie, comment 110, and Emy, comment 186...you two have put it in a nutshell... I'd like to repeat, EVERYONE, including United States, needs to be very watchful of their leaders. They all know what Hugo Chavez and the likes of him are all about, yet they side with him. yep! like I've always said, they're either scared of him or are his puppets....it's all about the oil and the drugs and the money and the power. Oh! and have you read on the internet lately...now Arias in Costa Rica admits he just now got around to reading the Honduran constitution....! yet he's been the mediator??!!! And Zelaya is now claiming that they're subjecting him to mind-altering gas?!!! ha ha !!! they seem desperate to me!!!JC

I am confused.

That is so sad that they are killing inosent people. Why are they doing that? Again THAT IS SO SAD!!!!!!