Posted on 09/29/2009 6:03:50 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
THE TICO TIMES, SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA | CHRISSIE LONG | Tue, Sep 29, 7:08 AM
Sep. 29--Three months of intense dialogue between the feuding parties in Honduras finds the chief mediator in the crisis watching from the sidelines.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, a longtime champion of peace in the Central American region, has chosen to remain in his home country as the conflict becomes more torrid in Honduras.
"I want to be available ... if I am needed," he said at a news conference from his home on Monday, "but I won't go unless my presence is necessary." Despite rumors that he will travel to Honduras in the company of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, he said, "I was not thinking about going."
Instead, he is hoping his Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno will travel to Honduras in the company of a delegation of nine other foreign ministers on Thursday. He told a bevy of press gathered in his living room that the Organization of American States (OAS) was dialoguing Monday about sending an envoy.
Meanwhile, the crisis continues to crescendo in Honduras with the suspension of constitutional rights to protest, the closure of at least two radio stations and the expulsion of a handful of OAS delegates.
Though Arias said he continues to hold out hope, he also said he is being a realist.
He acknowledged that when the San Jose Agreement first landed on the table as a possible solution to the crises, he thought it would be signed within days. Yet, with each passing week, he is losing optimism.
He also said the situation likely will not be solved in time for Honduras' presidential election in November. "It's difficult to imagine an electoral campaign under normal conditions," he said.
Only Problem is that Chavez and his surrogate do not want that to happen. They wish to subject another nation to the Communist boot heel.
His assessment may be correct, but the real question is what in the hell is wrong with Oscar Arias?
How can the President of one of Latin America’s most egalitarian and “enlightened” countries so blithely ignore the facts of the situation, that Honduran officials, from the Supreme Court, to the Congress, to the military scrupulously followed their constitution and laws in removing Zelaya? How can Arias so brazenly refuse to acknowledge that it was Zelaya who was violating Honduras’ laws and constitution?
We would expect this sort of twisted spin from leftist thugs like Chavez or Lula, but the President of Costa Rica?! If any nation or its leader in Latin America should cherish freedom and the rule of law it should have been Costa Rica.
I have no answer for your question.
I did read an opinion page statement in a Central American newspaper today entitled:
Honduras, “Waterloo of the OAS?
by Asdrubal Aguiar
It was in Spanish, but translated well with Google translator.
I have requested permission to post the translation here. Waiting to see if that is OK. Probably should have simply done it, but did not.
http://www.newyorkcityfocus.com/photo_gallery/city_mall.html
Welcome to Honduras. Building another one in San Pedro Sula.
Things are good.
Malls in Costa Rica:
http://www.ticotimes.com/costa-rica-business/shopping-malls/
You can leave your wallet in your pocket here. We are very catholic. If you steal, you’ll go straight to hell.
Mel Zelaya eres un chinche, Hugo Chavez eres una payaso sapotoro huango, y Arias, si ERES el Jimmy Carter de Centroamerica! Ay Dios Mio!
Your photo’s were not what I expected. The mall in Honduras was huge and beautiful. The store in Costa Rica was small and dumpy.
I loved the “Arias- the Jimmy Carter of Central America” Ay Dios Mio!
Ping
I don’t speak Spanish but that looks like you are saying that Arias is the Jimmy Carter of Central America:)
Gracias!
Yes. He got himself re-elected and modified constitution for himself, so how can he possibly judge. He is like Syrian president who makes better dentist, than leader. Ticos are too relaxed, which is why they have all the crime and roads from hell. We Hondurans are uptight and conservative, and somos persistentes! Ticos tolerated Arias since he didn’t do too much damage, and wasn’t publicy embarrassing ALL the time. Just some of the time. Me puse a recordar ese como the guy from the movie “Usual Suspects”, looks like Kevin Spacey, Arias, no?
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