In Latin America, how the US has allied with the forces of reaction
It was three years ago this week that the Honduran military launched an assault on the home of President Mel Zelaya, kidnapped him, and flew him out of the country. TheObama administration, according to its own conversations with the press, knew about the coup in advance. But the first statement from the White House – unlike those from the rest of the world –did not condemn the coup.
That sent a message to the Honduran dictatorship, and to the diplomatic community: the US government supported this coup and would do what it could to make sure it succeeded. And that is exactly what ensued. UnlikeWashingtonand its few remaining rightwing allies in the hemisphere, most of Latin America saw the coup as a threat to democracy in the region and, indeed, to their own governments.
“It would be enough for someone to stage a civilian coup, backed by the armed forces, or simply a civilian one and later justify it by convoking elections,” Argentine President Cristina Fernández told South American leaders. “And then democratic guarantees would truly be fiction.”
For that reason, South America refused to recognize the Honduran “elections” held six months later under the dictatorship. But Washingtonwanted the coup regime legitimized. The Obama administration blocked the Organization of American States (OAS) from taking action to restore democracy before “elections” were held.
Blasphemy! The United States is the leader of the free world, how dare they spew these lies and provide counter-evidence to American exceptionalism!
Source: Guardian
