Posted on 01/27/2010 12:29:37 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
A Supreme Court judge cleared Honduras' military commanders Tuesday in the coup that toppled Manuel Zelaya, and hours later lawmakers approved amnesty for the ousted leader and all those involved in his removal.
The two measures combined with Wednesday's inauguration of a new president, conservative rancher Porfirio Lobo appeared to spell the last chapter in the bitter political dispute that led to Honduras' international isolation.
Supreme Court President Jorge Rivera ruled the country's top generals did not abuse their power in ordering soldiers to escort Zelaya out of the country at gunpoint June 28.
"Prosecutors failed to prove the military chiefs acted with malice," he said in a statement.
The prosecution's case did not question Zelaya's ouster itself only whether the six members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff went too far in flying him to Costa Rica after he was arrested by soldiers in a dispute over a constitutional referendum.
Those charged included the head of the armed forces, Gen. Romeo Vasquez, and five other top-ranking officers, including the air force chief, Gen. Javier Prince, and the navy commander, Gen. Juan Pablo Rodriguez. The abuse of power charge carries a sentence of three to six years in prison.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
NOT A COUP! NOT A COUP! COUPS ARE FOR CHICKENS!
This “COUP” was the Honduran army carrying out their Supreme Court’s verdict, which was squarely in accord with their constimatushion. You think their Supreme Court is going to fault them for that, of course they won’t. I see very few people over here blaming that Court for the “COUP” by the way. Maybe that would focus unwanted attention on the role of our Courts which often is in blind disregard of our state and national constitutions.
Associated Press would make a Soviet era Pravda blush.
They’ve been pushing the coup lie since day one.
hehehe, can't have that... excellent point.
Good new for Honduras. Good new for democracy. Bad new for drug traffickers and Chavez. Bad news for Commies in State Department. Bad news for Clinton Drug connections (See book titled “Bush, Clinton and the CIA - Compromised” by Terry Reed for details).
Didn't we have a President once who said, when told that the Supreme Court would never allow him to dismantel the Bank of the United States, "How many divisions does the court have?" Or some such?
The Honduran president was impeached. Just like our Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presided over Clinton's impeachment. Honduras' Supreme Court enforced their congresses impeachment.
yitbos
Not a coup. AP should be ashamed.
Obama loses another one.
i agree
They're only saying what they think Ubama and the rats want them to say. The Associated Press must be viewed as nothing more than a headline and an agenda-driven assortment of half-truths, but it can be useful as a heads-up to search the internet for the actual facts and the real story.
Can you freaking believe the AP and all the other MSM insist on calling this a coup? Upholding a constitution is not a coup.
Another defeat for our own dear leader.
One would think the layoffs at AP would start some to consider pondering the reasons why.
It shows he has no foreign policy.
Has O’Biden announced an appeal (like he did with the Blackwater guys dismissal)? Maybe to the Hague?
Um - Associated Press? - - - ahem! - There was no coup.
Are you going to get back to reporting the news, or are you going to the graveyard with the rest of the dinosaurs? Hm?
Great. Thanks for following up.
Got my copy of that book 3 weeks after published. Just after Slick Willie’s inaugural.
Found it very credible. Verified much of it with X-Mil friends, and Jerry Bohnen (KTOK) who interviewed Terry in OK many times. Only part I did not find credible was an accusation on the cover. Suspect that was to sell books.
Terry has stayed off the radar screen a long time, and I understand why. There are some here who respect him, including me.
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