Right-Wing Wins Honduran Election

It looks like the right-wing reactionary forces in Honduras may have gotten what they wanted. They had orchestrated a military coup to oust leftist President Manuel Zelaya, and on Sunday they elected right-winger Porfirio Lobo (pictured)to be the new president (taking office in January).

Zelaya had asked the populace to boycott the election, since the outlaw coup-government was still in power and still refusing to return him to his elected office. The government is claiming a 60% turnout, but Zelaya says the illegal government has inflated the turnout figures.

Honduran right-wingers are hoping the election can be used to justify the military coup they orchestrated, and it looks like the United States will fall into that trap. The U.S. government says they will accept the results of the election (and probably resume foreign aid). Personally, I think the Obama administration is making a big mistake.

Many had hoped that true democracy was coming to Latin America, but support of the newly-elected right-wing government is little more than support for military coups. The rich right-wingers in Honduras should not be allowed to oust by force a government they don't like, and then hold a fraudulent election to justify their action. It signals a return to the "bad old days" in Latin America.

Fortunately, most countries in the Americas are not as easy to deceive as the United States. Most Central and South American countries do not accept Sunday's election results. They see it as a justification of the military coup.

The Brazilian president said, "There are still many nations, especially in Central America, in vulnerable political situations. Brazil therefore must not recognize nor rethink the Honduran question." They say Zelaya will remain in the Brazilian embassy (where he has been for weeks).

Right-wingers think the military coup is still a viable option for retaining their control in Latin America. I hope they are wrong. But if it is not defeated now in Honduras, it will probably spread to other countries.