Monday, May 23, 2011

Leader ousted from Honduras, successor sign compliant

Cartagena, Colombia - Ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya signed an agreement with his successor Sunday, which will allow the return of Zelaya re-entry of the country and his native country in the Organization of American States.


Shaking hands with smiles, Zelaya and current President Porfirio Lobo sitting in this Caribbean port to sign an agreement which has been developed by Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Juan Manuel Santos, of the Colombia.


The objective is to put an end to the political crisis caused by the coup of June 2009 Zelaya was sent in exile, which caused the OAS to suspend the Honduras as a member.


The agreement "strengthens the American system... and there is peace and freedom in a fraternal country like Honduras", Santos said.


Earlier, the Colombian leader said by Twitter that the agreement "means the return of Zelaya to the Honduras and his return to the OAS.".


Chavez promised to ensure that the terms of the agreement are respected.


"We will closely monitor that the agreement is met because we know there are forces inside and outside of the Honduras, who will try to boycott the agreement," Chavez said in Caracas, to the Venezuela.


The agreement calls for end to persecution of Zelaya and his supporters and his return in safety to the Honduras. reiterates that the constitution Honduras guarantees the right to request a national plebiscite on the reforms of basic laws; requires respect for the rights of man and of the investigation into possible violations; and demanded a guarantee that Zelaya supporters can participate in the political life of Honduras and 2014 elections as a political party.


"I am pleased to sign a reconciliation agreement for democracy of the Honduran people...". "Don't be afraid of democracy", said Zelaya, who was ousted after he ignored an order of the Court to cancel a national referendum asking if the Honduras should change its constitution. His enemies accuse him of wanting to circumvent a provision limiting Presidents to a single term, a charge he denied.


Lobo called the signing "a day very important for the Honduras", the agreement, it is "for the millions of Hondurasn who choose to live in peace and harmony."


He also urged his compatriots to recognize that it will be good for the country of Zelaya to come home.


"Back to the Honduras without any fear because you will be treated with the respect due to the former President," Lobo said Zelaya.


Santos attended the signing of the "Cartagena Agreement" and Chavez, who is recovering from a knee injury, was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Venezuelan Micolas Maduro.


Zelaya attended even if a Lobo spokesman had said the former leader would be no step in Cartagena, but rather sign the agreement later in the day, at a forum in Managua, in the Nicaragua, with Presidents Daniel Ortega at the NicaraguaMauricio Funes of El Salvador and Alvaro Colom of the Guatemala.


A statement by the Government of Honduras said that with the agreement, Lobo has complied with the electoral mandate he gave to "achieve unity and national reconciliation."


Lobo was due to meet later with Ortega, Funes and Colom in Managua to discuss regional security issues and the re-entry of the Honduras.


"Zelaya have security and treatment of the former President because he deserves our respect and consideration," Lobo said at a Saturday News Conference.


Zelaya, who lives in exile in Dominican Republic, said last week it intends to return to his native Central America on May 28.

After Zelaya was overthrown by the military and the hustled the Honduras nearly two years ago, international sanctions and the months of negotiations, led by the United States and the OAS failed to convince an interim Government to power.

Honduras took place in November 2009, elections, which had been planned before the coup and Lobo was voted to the Office. The United States and other countries restored ties shortly after Lobo took power in January 2010.

But to the Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and the Nicaragua object Honduras restore the OAS except Zelaya could return from exile without facing the threat of jail.

Honduras Court of charges of corruption recently deleted and pending arrest of Zelaya warrants, paving the way for the restoration of the country as a member of the OAS.

OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza released a statement saying the agreement "paves the way to return to the Honduras to the hemispheric organization." He said that he would be presented to the permanent Council of OAS Monday.

Return of the Honduras to the OAS should be made official in the General Assembly of the organization in El El Salvador 5-7 June.









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