Belize joins world community to Condemn Military Coup d’état in Honduras
The executive branch of the Honduran government has promoted a referendum that was scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 28, in which the people of Honduras would vote on whether or not Manuel Zelaya would be able to run for a second term as president. Both the National Congress and the Supreme Court reached a conclusion that the referendum was illegal.
The executive branch held a meeting with military officials to determine security procedures for the day of the referendum. In the meeting with the executive branch, the military refused to distribute and monitor ballot boxes for the referendum. President Zelaya then removed his Chief of Armed Forces, General Romeo Vasquez Velasquez. He also accepted the resignation of the Defence Minister, Army Commander, Commander of the Naval Force and Air Force Commander.
According to “Petroleum World” at http://www.petroleumworld.com, the days leading up to Sunday were filled with tension. “Businesses and schools were closed, gas stations and supermarkets full of people looking for supplies, and a military presence on the streets to prevent disturbances. In streets of cities such as Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, there was prevailing tension and anxiety of not knowing what will happen next.” What happened next was extreme. In the early morning of Sunday, June 28, soldiers of the Honduran army acted in a Coup d’état and took Honduras President Manuel Zelaya out his bed and expelled him from the country. He was sent to Costa Rica and members of his Cabinet were arrested.
After these events took place, Belize joined the international community in condemning the Coup d’état that is in progress. The official release from the Government of Belize said, “The Government of Belize is disturbed by the events which occurred in Honduras… Belize condemns the actions of the military against the constitutional and democratically elected President and rejects any attempts to have him replaced as the president of that Republic with any other person… Belize joins the international community in calling for the return of the rule of law and restoration of democracy in Honduras.”
The Organization of American States also issued a press release similarly condemning the coup d’état. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, said that the organization “will not accept a return to the past in the continent,” and it will not make any concessions to a regime proclaimed following a military coup after the illegal arrest of the constitutional President of Honduras, Jose Manuel Zelaya. The OAS Member States met in Washington on Tuesday, June 30, for a Special General Assembly. Article 19 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter was applied and Honduras was not allowed to participate because of an unconstitutional interruption in democratic order.
The UN General Assembly also met in emergency sessions on the political crisis in New York. “Our immediate priority is to restore full democratic and constitutional order in that country,” said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, urging all sides to hold talks. Russia and Canada meanwhile joined a growing list of nations to condemn the coup, and the European Commission called an urgent meeting with Central American ambassadors to consider the future of trade talks. Mexico offered to help with dialogue to try to resolve the political crisis.
Hours after Zelaya’s removal, the National Congress voted in Roberto Michelitti as the country’s new leader, though Zelaya said he was determined to return and “reclaim his post”. On Monday Michelitti began assembling his government and called on all government workers to return to work as normal, after a politically powerful national union of teachers announced an indefinite strike. Shots were heard in the Honduras capital late on Sunday after Micheletti imposed a nationwide 48-hour curfew.
Venezuelan president and regional leftist champion Hugo Chavez said the international community should teach the Honduran government “a lesson” after throwing his weight behind Zelaya at the SICA meeting in Nicaragua on Monday. Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega said leaders were determined to avoid “bloodshed”. In Honduras, Micheletti brushed off international condemnation of the takeover. He said he “had come to the presidency not by a coup d’état but by a completely legal process as set out in our laws.”
The interim leader also warned Chavez his country was ready to “go to war” if there was interference. Defiant interim leader Roberto Micheletti is preparing to govern a tense Honduras as worldwide calls increase for ousted President Manuel Zelaya to return to power. The situation will definitely become more complicated and may turn into an all out disaster on Thursday when President Zelaya is expected to return to Honduras with strong support from the international community. He will be accompanied by a high level delegation including President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, President Christina Fernandez of Argentina, OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza and the president of the UN General Assembly Miguel d’ Soto.
From Washington D.C, Hon Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, spoke to Wave Radio’s Dale McDougall on Tuesday. He said, “It is a very difficult situation in Honduras presently. The charter of the OAS directly addresses the measures that should be taken in these types of situation.” He spoke about the relationship between Belize and Honduras, “Anything that happens in Honduras will have an effect on Belize. Many Belizeans, especially the Garinagu community, have family members in Honduras.” He hopes that the situation does not get further out of control.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Squawks About Poaching Wild Parrots in Belize
The Wild Parrots of Belize have Lots to Squawk About.
A simple hike along the tropical Macal River in Cayo, Belize led a Remax Belize real estate broker to give the shirt off his back to rescue an injured hawk and, in so doing, discover a sanctuary dedicated to saving the wild parrots of Belize. The Belize Bird Sanctuary acts as a voice for Belize’s birds to censor Belize’s lucrative and cruel bird trade. A refuge for injured and molested birds, this non-profit organization rescues and rehabilitates Belize’s endangered parrots, with release as their ultimate goal.
Belize real estate broker, Looey Tremblay, was hiking along the Macal River in Cayo, Belize when he spotted a bird flapping around in the water. A member of his party hightailed across the rocks to scoop up the badly injured hawk before it careened into the rapids. Desperate to save the hawk, they wrapped him up in Tremblay’s shirt and strapped the bird to his chest before scaling the cliff back to their car.
Several attempts to find vets capable of treating the hawk proved unfruitful. Fate and luck led them to the Belize Bird Rescue sanctuary in Belmopan. They readily accepted the injured bird and worked feverishly over several days to save the life of the hawk. Tragically, he succumbed to his bullet wounds. However, their valiant efforts opened up Tremblay’s eyes to the plight of birds in Belize and, specifically, the wild parrots of Belize whose nests are regularly plundered by robbers.
In the U.S. alone, 15 million birds are held captive as pets. By not supporting the trade of birds in your home country, you can help preserve Belize’s wild parrot population. The wild parrots of Belize can look forward to a long life in the wild – anywhere from 40 to 90 years. Flying high and flying free, dive-bombing for fruit, bugs and buds in Belize’s rainforest canopy. Their lifespan is drastically reduced when caged as “pets”; captive parrots usually expire within 5 years of being held captive.
“Belize is a country rife with extraordinary natural wonders and Belize’s birds, including the wild parrots of Belize” said Tremblay “represent a monumental treasure to this country. Belize’s birds were born free and deserve to fly free. Let’s give their wings a hand – to fly high and free forever. Make some noise. Beak off. It’s time to squawk about the cruelty of the Belize bird trade.”
On your next trip to Belize, don’t miss out on visiting this sanctuary for abused, unwanted and neglected birds. It’s an amazing adventure and a great way to educate yourself – and your family – about Belize’s birds. There are many heroic tales of rescue and rehabilitation at Belize Bird Rescue. Your spirits will soar as high as the wild parrots of Belize fly.
If you’d like to discover more about the wild parrots of Belize, log onto their website at http://www.belizebirdrescue.com
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Belize Barrier Reef, Colombia's Los Katios Park on UNESCO's Danger List
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and Colombia’s Los Katios National Park entered UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Danger List here on Saturday.
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Seville has decided to inscribe the two sites due to the current worrying state of protection.
The main problem with the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System concerns mangrove cutting and excessive development in the property which was inscribed in 1996 as the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, with offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries.
While requesting stricter control of development on the site, the Committee also requested that the moratorium on mangrove cutting on the site, which expired in 2008, be reinstated.
Colombia’s Los Katios National Park was placed on the World Heritage Danger List at the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee at the request of Colombia. The decision was made in order to mobilize international support for the preservation of the property which is threatened by deforestation in areas inside and around the property due to the illegal extraction of timber.
Inscribed in 1994 for its exceptional biological diversity, the site is also suffering from illegal fishing and hunting.
The World Heritage Committee meeting, convened here from June 22 to 30, is expected to decide on new sites as well as review the state of protection for the sites already inscribed.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Interesting Truth In Stories
An American businessman was at the pier of a small Belizean village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large lobsters, and a slew of red and yellow snapper. The visitor complimented the Belizean on the quality of his catch and asked how long it took to bring it in.
The Belizean replied only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish and lobster?
The Belizean fisherman said, “I get up early and watch the sun rise, then I fish a little, come home and relax, play with my children, have a big lunch and take a rest with my wife. In the evening I stroll into the village where I sip cashew wine and play music and sing with my friends. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave Belize and move to Mexico, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Belizean asked, “But how much time will all of this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”
“What then, Gringo?”
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions of dollars.”
“Millions? Then what?”
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move back to a caye in Belize, where you would get up early and watch the sun rise, then fish a little, play with your grandkids, have a big lunch and take a rest with your wife. In the evenings you could stroll to the village where you could sip cashew wine and play music and sing with your friends.”
jz85vcyanw
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Cave of human sacrifices
This is an interesting video of a Mayan Cave Ruin that the Mayans used to stash away hundreds of sacrificed People
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
