Hedging bets in Honduras
When asked point blank who he considers to be the Honduran president, National Party candidate Porfirio Lobo refused to answer, saying he called them both by their name to avoid getting tangled up in the situation: “yo a los dos llamo por su nombre para no meterme a rollos, a enredos." The pro-coup paper La Prensa summed it up as "Porfirio Lobo does not know who is president."
Now THAT is a politician. Too bad the reporter did not ask him what the definition of "is" is.
Days since the coup: 90
Days until the scheduled presidential election: 64
2 comments:
It's grimly entertaining to watch the coup bosses repeatedly yanking Lobo back into line. As the likely winner of the November 29 elections, whether held under a restored Zelaya governent or the coup regime, he has the most to lose from international non-recognition of the results, and thus is more susceptible to such pressure. He's also, of necessity, out in public more.
On the 22nd he distanced himself from Micheletti's hard line and the vicious assault by the military and police by calling for dialogue. The next day he "clarified" that he didn't mean negotiations that might result in Zelaya's restoration to office.
Now this, which shows that the Canahuatis are serious peeved that Lobo won't drink the 'Micheletti is the only president' kool-aid. An additional irritant for them is how thoroughly Lobo trounced Mario Canahuati in the National Party primary last November.
It's so far past accounts-freezing time it's not funny.
Another bit that's got the Canahuatis ticked off (from filmmaker Oscar Estrada's report from the press conference by the four coup-aligned presidential candidates held Thursday between their meetings with Micheletti and Zelaya):
:: ...the last question by the international press ... asked the candidates to clarify their positions. Answer me yes or no, do you accept the restitution of Zelaya to the presidency.
The microphone jumped around from one candidate to another like a hot potato until it finally fell into the hands of Elvin Santos who would have liked to have thrown the thing out into the parking lot. "Our commitment is to the elections" said Santos and the journalists said "yes or no to restitution". "The elections" he repeated and the mocking laughter began to emanate from the press.
Finally the candidates answered. Ávila said no, Martinez shouted that his commitment was to the constitution and Lobo, who seemed to be the only one with any lucidity among the candidates, said they would accept the San José accord and if that meant that Zelaya would be reinstated, they would accept it. ::
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