Military coup in Honduras this morning - Take action now! ¡Golpe de estado en Honduras!

Military Coup in Honduras
School of Americas Watch - http://www.soaw.org/

A military coup has taken place in Honduras this morning (Sunday, June 28), led by School Of the Americas graduate Romeo Vasquez. In the early hours of the day, members of the Honduran military surrounded the presidential palace and forced the democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya, into custody. He was immediately flown to Costa Rica.

A national vote had been scheduled to take place today in Honduras to consult the electorate on a proposal of holding a Constitutional Assembly in November. General Vasquez had refused to comply with this vote and was deposed by the president, only to later be reinstated by the Congress and Supreme Court.

The Honduran state television was taken off the air. The electricity supply to the capital Tegucigalpa, as well telephone and cellphone lines were cut. Government institutions were taken over by the military. While the traditional political parties, Catholic church and military have not issued any statements, the people of Honduras are going into the streets, in spite of the fact that the streets are militarized. From Costa Rica, President Zelaya has called for a non-violent response from the people of Honduras, and for international solidarity for the Honduran democracy.

While the European Union and several Latin American governments just came out in support of President Zelaya and spoke out against the coup, a statement that was just issued by Barack Obama fell short of calling for the reinstatement of Zelaya as the legitimate president.

It's important to keep in mind that this isn't just about getting a politician back in power - the democratic referendum vote that was supposed to occur today in Honduras would have opened up the possibility of rewriting the Honduran constitution and giving more power to communities and people on a grassroots level. It was backed by labor, student, indigenous and peasant (campesino) movements.

Email and call the State Department and the White House

Demand that they call for the immediate reinstatement of Honduran President Zelaya.

Email Obama - http://www.soaw.org/honduras

State Department: 202-647-4000 or 1-800-877-8339
White House: Comments: 202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Visit http://www.SOAW.org for more pictures and updated information.

Watch TeleSur (in Spanish) for live updates - http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/canal/senalenvivo.php

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/28/honduras-military-coup-blow-democracy

Eva Golinger article (School of Americas Watch
http://www.soaw.org/presente/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=217&Itemid=74

Honduras Indymedia
http://chiapas.indymedia.org/index.php?category=9

Corporate media accounts

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/world/americas/29honduras.html

Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124619401378065339.html#mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular

GOLPE DE ESTADO EN HONDURAS, EL PRESIDENTE MANUEL ZELAYA ESTA SECUESTRADO

Las comunicaciones fueron cortada.
Minuto a Minuto con Honduras: Golpe de Estado contra Zelaya, Golpe de Estado contra la voluntad popular
Las calles están encendidas de pueblo que exigen la restitución de su presidente / Piden apoyo a la comunidad internacional / Canciller Patricia Rodas denuncia silencio mediático/ Tomaron canal 8 hondureño / Presidente de Congreso juramentado como presidente provisional / Manuel Zelaya narró a TeleSUR su secuestro.

DIFUNDIR AMPLIAMENTE LA SIGUIENTE PÁGINA EN DONDE SE ESTA TRASMITIENDO EN VIVO LOS ÚLTIMOS ACONTECIEMIENTOS DE LO QUE ESTA SUCEDIENDO EN HONDURAS: http://www.vtv.gob.ve/

También es importante recordar que la situación no se trata solamente del regreso de un político al poder. El voto democrático para el referendo que iba a ocurrir hoy en Honduras hubiera abierto la posibilidad de reescribir la constitución hondureña y hubiera dado mas poder a las comunidades y el pueblo para luchar desde abajo. Fue apoyado por los movimientos sindicales, estudiantiles, indígenas y campesinos