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The 2009 Honduran coup d'etat was a military action in Honduras on June 28, 2009 that deposed President Manuel Zelaya, breaking three decades of continuous democratic history in the Central American nation. The day of the coup a non-binding referendum on changing the constitution was to be staged. It had been proposed by President Zelaya but ruled illegal by Honduras's Supreme Court, attorney general, top electoral body, and human-rights ombudsman. Zelaya nonetheless asked the Army to distribute ballots in accordance with its role in conducting elections. After Army chief Romeo Vásquez Velásquez refused to distribute ballots, Zelaya dismissed him from office. The dismissal was declared illegal by courts and the parliament. On June 28, 2009, shortly before polls were due to open for the referendum, the armed forces deposed Zelaya. Most news media and government sources outside Honduras refer to this change in power as a coup d'etat. Some members of the Honduran government maintain that ousting President Zelaya was entirely legal. The broadcast of at least some news media is currently suppressed in Honduras, with members of the Honduran military reportedly shutting down at least one radio station and halting TV transmission of teleSUR and CNN en Español.
The armed forces of Honduras seized President Manuel Zelaya at his home, holding him at an airbase outside Tegucigalpa before flying him to Costa Rica. During the action, communications and electricity in the city were interrupted for about six hours. Government officials and other politicians suspected of loyalty to Zelaya have been detained. Later in the day the Honduran Supreme Court said that it had ordered the removal of the president.
Roberto Micheletti, the speaker of parliament and next in the Presidential line of succession was sworn in as President by the National Congress.
The Honduran government says that Zelaya was arrested in compliance with the constitution and that the succession has been a completely legal process as set out in Honduran laws, but no foreign governments have endorsed this view and many of them have described the events as a coup d'état. The General Assembly of the Organization of American States met in a special session on Tuesday 30 June to "vehemently condemn" the coup, demand the return of Zelaya, and consider suspending Honduras' OAS membership.
Background
Manuel Zelaya was elected in 2005 for a non-renewable four-year term, as a member of the Liberal Party. In April 2009, a Mitofsky opinion poll showed that only one in four Hondurans approved of Zelaya, the lowest approval rating of 18 regional leaders. According to The New York Times, much of Zelaya's support comes from labor unions and the nations' poor, while many of the Honduran middle and upper classes fear he wants to introduce Hugo Chávez’s brand of "socialist populism."
President Manuel Zelaya intended to hold a "nonbinding" public referendum on June 28, on whether to call a National Assembly to rewrite the constitution, to take place concurrently with this year's elections. Zelaya's opponents claimed that his intention was to allow his own re-election. Article 239 of the Honduran Constitution, which forbids any former chief executive from being re-elected President, states that any citizen who proposes reforming said article, and any others who support such a person directly or indirectly, are to immediately "cease carrying out" any public office. The Constitution, however, establishes no process for impeaching or removing a president. Furthermore Article 42, Section 5 of the Constitution states that citizenship is lost for "inciting, promoting or supporting the continuation or the reelection of the President of the Republic." According to the same article, revoking citizenship for this reason requires a court sentence and then a government order ("acuerdo gubernativo").
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The intended referendum was rejected by Congress, the attorney general, and the top electoral body, and ruled illegal by the Supreme Court. The Constitution can only be modified by a two-thirds majority of Congress. However, certain articles of the Constitution are "set in stone" and cannot be modified neither by Congress nor by a referendum or a national assembly. On June 23, 2009 the National Congress passed a law forbidding holding referenda less than 180 days before the next general election; as the next elections are set for 29 November 2009, this invalidated the referendum bid.
Congress had begun discussing how to impeach Zelaya but lacked a clear constitutional process to do so. Congress, including most of Zelaya's own party, had voted for an urgent investigation of whether Zelaya had violated the constitution and even whether he was "mentally incapable" to hold office. Zelaya responded to the congressional leader Roberto Micheletti, a member of the same party who has since been sworn in as President in his stead, by saying "What's with you, Roberto. I was elected by the people, not the congress. How would you make me ineligible, you're a lousy second-rate congressman who got your post because I gave you space in my party."
The military is in charge of security and logistics in elections in Honduras. Zelaya asked them to perform their election role for the referendum, but the head of the military command, General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, refused the order to pass out the election materials because the referendum had been deemed illegal and unconstitutional. Zelaya subsequently removed him from his position but the Honduran Supreme Court ordered the General reinstated. Zelaya staged a protest at an air force base and led a citizen march to take possession of the referendum materials stored there, which were then guarded by the national police.
The Supreme Court, the Congress, and the military recommended that voters stay home because the referendum would be neither fair nor safe to voters. The National Human Rights Commissioner, Ramón Custodio, said "I would tell the people to stay calmly at home in order not to get involved in any incident or any violence by going to vote 'no,' because they might be assaulted by these mobs," referring to Zelaya's supporters.
Developments
June 28
The presidential residence was seized by military troops. A group of around 150 people that supported Zelaya gathered outside the building in protest, throwing stones at soldiers and shouting "traitors, traitors".
According to the New York Times, "several thousand protesters supporting the (ousted) president faced off against soldiers outside the presidential palace, burning tires." For several hours on Sunday, electricity and communications in the capital Tegucigalpa had been interrupted.
Within several hours of his removal, Zelaya spoke to media in San José, Costa Rica, calling the events "a coup" and "a kidnapping." He stated that soldiers pulled him from his bed and assaulted his guards. Zelaya stated that he would not recognize anyone named as his successor, and that he wants to finish his term in office. He also stated that he will now be meeting with diplomats.
In Costa Rica, Mr. Zelaya told the pan-Latin American channel teleSUR that he had been awoken by gunshots. Masked soldiers took his cellphone, shoved him into a van and took him to an air force base, where he was put on a plane. He said he did not know that he was being taken to Costa Rica until he landed at the airport in San José. "
According to Venezuela's ambassador to the OAS, the ambassadors of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua were taken into custody by the military and transported to the airport. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez stated that the Venezuelan ambassador was assaulted by Honduran soldiers and left by the side of a road.
Also, allies of Zelaya, among them several government officials, have been taken into custody by the military. Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas and the mayor of the city San Pedro Sula, Rodolfo Padilla Sunseri, have been detained at military bases. Several congressmen of the Democratic Unification Party (PUD) have been rounded up, too, and their party's presidential candidate Cesar Ham allegedly hides in a secure location. Tomas Andino Mencias, a member of the party, reports that PUD lawmakers have been led away by the military when they tried to enter the parliament building for the vote on Micheletti.
Later that day, the Supreme Court issued a statement that it had ordered the army to remove Zelaya from office. The Supreme Court stated "The armed forces, in charge of supporting the constitution, acted to defend the state of law and have been forced to apply legal dispositions against those who have expressed themselves publicly and acted against the dispositions of the basic law".
The National Congress has voted to accept what they claimed is Zelaya's letter of resignation, but Zelaya has said he did not write the letter. Later the Congress voted unanimously to remove Zelaya for "manifest irregular conduct" and "putting in present danger the state of law" and named the President of the National Congress as his successor.
Hugo Chávez and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez have both separately claimed that Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas has been detained by the Honduran military. Rodríguez said that the Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan ambassadors to Honduras had tried but were unable to protect Rodas from a group of masked soldiers who forcibly took her from their grasp. Rodas was sent to Mexico, which offered her asylum and help to resolve the situation.
Acting President Roberto Micheletti ordered a 48-hour curfew which began on Sunday night (June 28) and ends on Tuesday (June 30). The curfew will be held from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
On Sunday night, Reuters reported that hundreds of pro-Zelaya protesters, some masked and wielding sticks, set up barricades of chain link fences and downed billboards in the center of Tegucigalpa and blocked roads to the presidential palace. Reuters witnesses heard gunshots outside the presidential palace that apparently came after a truck arrived at the protest, and an ambulance also appeared. It was not clear who fired the shots. One witness said shots were fired only in the air and there were no initial reports of injuries.
Late at night on Sunday, June 28, Zelaya and Foreign Minister Rodas flew to Managua, Nicaragua, to attend a meeting the next day of the Central American Integration System. Also planning to attend the meeting were several heads of state of the Rio Group and ALBA including Hugo Chavez and Felipe Calderon. At the meeting, the presidents of Central America agreed to freeze all official payments and loans to Honduras.
June 29
Protests continued the following Monday. Around 1,500 pro-Zelaya protesters taunted soldiers and burned tires just outside the gates of the presidential palace in a face-off with security forces. CNN reported that although the military had fired tear gas into the crowd at some point, the day was "generally calm" in Honduras. Two people were reportedly killed as a result of clashes between protesters and soldiers. Juan Barahona, leader of the United Workers Federation, claimed soldiers opened fire on the crowds with live ammunition. News media remained off air, replaced by tropical music, soap operas, and cooking shows. Reporters Without Borders condemned the "news blackout" and Reuters reported the use of Twitter to beat the censorship.
President of the Honduran Peace Committee, Dr. Juan Almendares, speaking 29 June on Democracy Now! said: the military are taking repressive actions against some members of the legitimate government of President Zelaya and also popular leaders. There is effectively a national strike of workers, people, students and intellectuals, and they are organized in a popular resistance-run peace movement against this violation of democracy.
TeleSUR journalist Adriana Sívori, who was in Tegucigalpa reporting the clashes between the police and protesters was arrested by the military under threat, and retained her passport. As soon as the international community learned of the detention, and after the quick intervention of the Venezuelan ambassador in Honduras, the journalist and the staff who accompanied her were released. Sívori was reportedly assaulted by the soldiers who detained her.
TeleSUR was, until the detention and quick release of journalist Sívori the only channel that was broadcasting live all occurrences of the political crisis.
Zelaya announced in Managua on Monday night that he would be returning to Tegucigalpa on Thursday, July 2. He also invited fellow Latin American leaders, including OAS general secretary José Miguel Insulza, to accompany him on his return. The new foreign minister of Honduras, Enrique Ortez, said that Insulza and any other presidents would be welcome but that Zelaya would not be allowed to enter.
June 30
Pressure on the coup government continued to grow as the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution which called for the reinstatement of Zelaya as the President of Honduras. Zelaya spoke in front of the General Assembly where he was applauded several times. In his speech, Zelaya promised not to seek another term as President and said that he would not accept a second term if he were asked to serve again. After the UN session, Zelaya then headed to Washington, D.C., where he was going to attend a special meeting of the Organization of American States. In Washington, Zelaya was scheduled to meet with United States Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon and possibly with President Barack Obama.
Meanwhile, Honduran Attorney General Luis Alberto Rubi announced that Zelaya would "immediately" be arrested if he returned to Honduras, where legal officials have accused him of 18 crimes including "complicity in the drug trade", "treason" and "abuse of authority."
Pro-Zelaya protests continued on Tuesday, June 30. Union leaders announced a nationwide strike and estimated that up to 10,000 pro-Zelaya protesters were marching in Tegucigalpa and around the country.
Tuesday also saw the first pro-coup rally take place in the capital. Roberto Micheletti made an appearance and said that the November general elections will be held as scheduled and that a new president will be sworn in on January 27, 2010. Micheletti also had strong words for the crowd: "They told me a few people with leftist intentions would try to scare us, but not the brave men and women of our nation," as sympathizers responded with chants of "Democracy! Democracy!". General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez also attended and spoke at the rally.
The new cabinet
The new cabinet so far
- Enrique Ortez Colindres, Foreign Minister. He has been Honduran ambassador to the United Nations.
- Gabriela Núñez, Minister of Finance
- Desiré Rosales, Minister of Science and Technology
- Adolfo Lionel Sevilla, Minister of Defense
- Nicolás Gacía, Minister of Labor
- Norman Ochoa, Secretary of Natural Resources
- René Zepeda, Press Relations
- Germain Leitzelar, Minister without portfolio for Social Affairs and to organize a national dialog
- Mario Noe VillaFranca, Minister of Health
- Norman Ochoa, Viceminister of Natural Resources and the Environment (SERNA)
- Desiree Rosales, Director of Honduran Council of Science and Technology (COHCIT)
- Sandra Midence, President of Central Bank of Honduras
- Karen Zelaya, Secretary of International Cooperation (SETCO)
- Jorge Alberto Rodas Gamero, continues as Security Minister
- Martha Lorena Alvarado, Vicechanellor
- Cesar Quezada, Director of Transportation
- Mirna Castro, Minister of Culture
International reaction
All Latin American nations (besides Honduras), as well as the United States, Spain, France, and others, have publicly condemned the forced removal of Zelaya as undemocratic and most have labelled it as a coup d'état. President Barack Obama of the United States said "We believe that the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the President of Honduras." Amongst the stronger reactions, President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez, pledged to "bring down" any replacement government and President of Paraguay Fernando Lugo said that the coup participants belong in prison. Americas-based international organizations such as the Organization of American States, Mercosur, and the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas have also condemned the events. Members of the latter group, as well as Honduras neighbor El Salvador, have withdrawn their ambassadors. No nation has publicly declared support for the Honduran military's actions or for the new acting President Roberto Micheletti, with the exception of Honduras itself.
Reactions
United Nations: Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon "expresses his strong support for the country's democratic institutions and condemns the arrest today of the constitutional President of the Republic," a U.N. spokesman said in a statement. "He urges the reinstatement of the democratically elected representatives of the country and full respect for human rights, including safeguards for the security of President Zelaya, members of his family and his government. He calls on all Hondurans to engage peacefully and in the spirit of reconciliation to resolve their differences. The Secretary-General welcomes the prompt diplomatic efforts of the Organization of American States, whose Permanent Council is holding a special meeting this morning. The United Nations stands ready to provide assistance in overcoming this crisis." The U.N. General Assembly meets in emergency session Monday afternoon to debate the political crisis.
Americas: The OAS called for an emergency meeting on Sunday, where it approved a resolution demanding "the immediate, safe and unconditional return of the constitutional president, Manuel Zelaya." Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza called the situation "a military coup."
- The nine members of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas announced in a joint statement that they would not recognize any new government in Honduras.
- The Association of Caribbean States condemned the coup in a statement and called for Zelaya's reinstatement. Additionally it stated, "we highlight our condemnation of the brutal treatment that Honduras military personnel gave to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Patricia Rodas as well as the Ambassadors of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. This situation is a serious violation of International law, and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Mercosur and 
Paraguay: President of Paraguay and current president pro tempore of Mercosur Fernando Lugo condemned the coup and said that no member state of Mercosur will recognize a Honduran government that is not led by Manuel Zelaya. Lugo also called for those behind the coup to be punished by serving prison sentences.
South American Union and 
Chile: Chilean president Michelle Bachelet speaking on behalf of her government and Unasur condemned the coup and referred to Zelaya as "legitimately elected by the people".
European Union: The European Union called on the Honduran military to release the president and restore constitutional order.
Antigua and Barbuda: Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer issued a statement denouncing the removal of Zelaya. "It was with shock and dismay that I received news of the forced removal of President Zelaya and the kidnapping of Foreign Affairs Minister Patricia Rodas and the temporary detention and mistreatment of the Venezuelan, Cuban and Nicaraguan Ambassadors." Spencer voiced his support for OAS Resolution 953, the ALBA condemnation of the coup d'etat, and called for the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of President Zelaya. He concluded his statement by calling upon the international community to reject the coup.
Argentina: Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said: "I'm deeply worried about the situation in Honduras. It reminds us of the worst years in Latin America's history. We will demand that the OAS (Organization of American States) fully comply with the democratic charter that requires unconditional respect for democracy and, above all, the restoration of the Honduran president. I do not hesitate to call this a return to barbarity. All countries of the continent and the entire international community should demand the return of the democratically elected president."
Belarus: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Secretary Andrei Popov provided a response at a ministry press confrence condemning the coup. "We vigorously condemn the violent upheaval of the legitimately elected President of Honduras by a group of people and his exile from the country.. ..We hope for the immediate reversion of the situation in Honduras into a legal framework and for unconditional respect by this country of its international commitments, including relevant articles of the Vienna Convention concerning security guaranties of the diplomatic staff."
Belize: In a statement released on June 29, 2009, the Government of Belize condemned the actions of the Honduran military, calling Zelaya "the only constitutional President of Honduras". The statement demanded his reinstatement, the return of the rule of law and the restoration of democracy.
Bolivia: Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, condemned the military action. "To allow people to participate and decide the future of their country through their vote, it is not possible that some groups ignore this, including the military.".
Brazil: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Honduras military coup, considering it "unacceptable", and assured that his peer Jose Manuel Zelaya must return back to his post as the only condition to keep relations with this country. Celso Amorim, the Brazilian Minister of External Relations issued a press release "strongly condemning the military action that resulted in the ousting of the President of Honduras," urging for his "immediate and unconditional return to power," and expressing "solidarity with the Honduran people." the Brazilian ambassador in Honduras, who was on vacation in Brazil, was ordered not to return to Honduras.
Canada: Peter Kent, the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas), stated: "Canada condemns the coup d'état that took place over the weekend in Honduras, and calls on all parties to show restraint and to seek a peaceful resolution to the present political crisis, which respects democratic norms and the rule of law, including the Honduran Constitution. Democratic governance is a central pillar of Canada's enhanced engagement in the Americas, and we are seriously concerned by what has transpired in Honduras."
China: Qin Gang, the spokeperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, stated: "China expressed concern over the situations in Honduras and hopes it can regain stability as soon as possible." The P.R. of China has no formal diplomatic relations with Honduras, yet China is one of the Permanent members of UN Security Council. When answering questions on their relations, Qin said the Chinese government is willing to develop friendly, cooperative, normal relations with all countries under the principle of one-China, peaceful co-existence, as well as the UN Charter and related UN resolutions and principles.
Colombia: The Colombian government released a four point statement where they expressed profound concern by the break in constitutional order, rejected the removal by force of the democratically elected President Zelaya, called for the re-establishment of constitutional and legal order, and supported the actions of the OAS in its attempts to find democratic solutions for the crisis in Honduras.
Costa Rica: In a joint press conference with Manual Zelaya, Costa Rican President Óscar Arias condemned the coup and said that it "indicates that democracy in Latin America and its institutions are fragile and vulnerable". Arias also said that Zelaya was personally in "good condition" and that Costa Rica was offering Zelaya "all the courtesies that he deserves".
Cuba: The Cuban government condemned the coup d’état. Raúl Castro said that there should be no negociations with the "golpistas" (coup-makers) and that Honduras has and should have only president; Manuel Zelaya. Raúl also called the United States to act according to its condemniation of the coup.
Dominican Republic: "This coup d’état represents a step backwards because it violates the Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS)", says Leonel Fernández, President of Dominican Republic.
Ecuador: Rafael Correa, the President of Ecuador, said he would not recognize any new government in Honduras.
El Salvador: "(The Government of El Salvador) asks for the immediate restoration of the constitutional president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya", said Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes in a press conference. Funes also said that he had a telephone conversation with Zelaya, in which he expressed "solidarity" with the deposed Honduran president. The Salvadoran Minister of the Defense, David Munguía, said that the Salvadoran military will reinforce three border crossings between El Salvador and Honduras.
France: The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "France firmly condemns the coup that has just taken place in Honduras. The arrests and expulsions of diplomatic envoys are a grave breach of the Vienna convention. They are unacceptable. The constitutional order must be restored at the earliest opportunity. France calls on all parties to act with respect for the principles and values of democracy."
Germany: Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the arrest and exile of President Zelaya stating that it is "an act which violates the constitutional order of the Republic of Honduras. It is now vital for Honduras to swiftly return to law and order. I call upon the conflict parties to resume dialogue and to find a peaceful solution which takes due account of democracy and the rule of law."
Guatemala: Guatemalan President Álvaro Colom said in a press conference that Guatemala "recognizes President Zelaya as the democratically chosen president". Colom said that he will discuss with fellow Central American presidents in Managua about how to restore democracy in Honduras.
Italy: Foreign Minister Franco Frattini released a statement calling the coup "a serious violation of law and democratic rules".
Jamaica: Foreign Minister Dr Ken Baugh, who is also Jamaica's deputy prime minister, said the removal of President Zelaya was in breach of the principles of respect for the rule of law, human rights and constitutional order. "The government of Jamaica maintains its full support for and recognition of President Zelaya and therefore calls for his immediate reinstatement.
Mexico: The Mexican government condemned the arrest and forced exile of Zelaya to Costa Rica.
Nicaragua: President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega invited Zelaya to come to Nicaragua and attend the Central American Integration System presidents' meeting. "Come here. We are not going to recognize any spurious, coup government that installs itself in Honduras. We will not recognize it," Ortega said.
Norway: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the coup, and called on the legally elected government of Manuel Zelaya to be re-instated immediately in order for democracy to return in Honduras.
Panama: The Panamanian government condemned the coup.
Peru: José García Belaúnde, the Foreign Minister of Peru, said that his government "strongly condemns" the coup and will push for the re-establishment of democracy in Honduras.
Russia: A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned Zelaya's overthrow and called it a "gross violation of basic democratic norms." Russia also welcomed the efforts by regional organizations and groups trying "to work out a solution within the framework of international law."
Spain: A spokesperson for Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero released the following statement: "The head of the government expressed his strongest condemnation for the illegal detention and expulsion of the constitutional president of the Republic of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya. The solution to any dispute must always be found through dialogue and respect for democratic rules. There is not, neither can there ever be, a solution to the Honduran crisis outside the country's constitutional framework."
Switzerland: The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing its concern. It "urges those responsible to re-establish constitutional order and the rule of law. It calls for a democratic and peaceful resolution of the current crisis."
United Kingdom: Chris Bryant, the British Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, said: "The UK condemns the expulsion of President Zelaya and calls for the restoration of democratic, constitutional government in Honduras. We support the Organisation of American States' call supporting the rule of law and are deeply concerned about the deployment of military personnel onto the streets of Tegucigalpa."
United States: The United States recognizes ousted President Manuel Zelaya as the only constitutional president of Honduras. President Barack Obama said in a statement, "I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter." In a written statement, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "The action taken against Honduran President Mel Zelaya violates the precepts of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and thus should be condemned by all."
"We believe that the coup was not legal and that President Zelaya remains the democratically elected president there," Obama said. "It would be a terrible precedent if we start moving backwards into the era in which we are seeing military coups as a means of political transition rather than democratic elections," he added. "The region has made enormous progress over the last 20 years in establishing democratic traditions. ... We don't want to go back to a dark past."
Although U.S. officials have characterized the events as a coup, they have held back from formally designating it as such, which would require them to cut off almost all aid to Honduras.
Uruguay: Vice President of Uruguay Rodolfo Nin Novoa condemned the coup and called for the re-establishment of democratic order in Honduras.
Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that the coup called for Obama to speak out because the US "has a lot to do" with what happens in Honduras. A few hours later, Chavez put his military on alert and said he would do everything necessary to abort the coup in Honduras if anything were to happen to its embassy. He also warned that if a new government was sworn in he would "bring them down". Venezuela argued that the OAS should suspend Honduras from the group.
Media reactions
In both Honduras and the United States, reaction was polarized over the description of the crisis as a coup, and media outlets reflected the sentiments regarding the crisis. U.S.-based conservatives Charles Krauthammer and Mary Anastasia O'Grady both sided with the Honduran opposition's arguments and criticized Barack Obama's response to the crisis. Most major television outlets described the crisis as a coup, and Venezuelan network TeleSur provided a live feed of the presidential palace until TeleSur workers were arrested and detained by military operatives.
On the Internet, Twitter was extensively used as an outlet for citizen media, with the hashtag #honduras becoming divided with both English and Spanish-language arguments across all spectrums of debate regarding the crisis; this also temporarily became the primary method of communication for Honduran citizens following a media blackout over most of Honduras.
References
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- Honduran Military Ousts President
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- Translating Twitter from Honduras
