Reply #20: Honduras foreign minister Carlos Lopez Contreras defends 'ban' on broadcaster [View All]

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Honduras: Minister defends 'ban' on broadcaster


Rome, 25 Nov. (AKI) - Honduras foreign minister Carlos Lopez Contreras has defended a ban by the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti on a popular broadcaster thought to be sympathetic to deposed president, Manuel Zelaya .... Last week the Honduran TV network Canal 36, also known as Cholusat Sur, claimed its signal had been interrupted by the Micheletti government which since taking power has allegedly tightened controls over the media.

However, Contreras told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the ban on Canal 36 was justified.

"If we look at respect for freedom of speech anywhere in the world, and you actually hear what the channel is saying daily, you would see that in any country in the world, with or without elections, this channel would have been suspended," he said.

He said Canal 36 'belonged' to Zelaya when he was the head of the executive government. .... Contreras rejected Zelaya's allegations that Micheletti was being supported by Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga.

"Zelaya's accusations have absolutely no foundation. The cardinal is a person which has a global reach and he would never put in jeopardy his image for a political situation. I consider Zelaya's claims unfair."

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He also said that the views of the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, (OAS) the Chilean Jose Miguel Insulza, were irrelevant.

"Elections are the expression of popular sovereignty of a nation and if the candidates and parties are satisfied, it does not matter what Insulza says in the OAS nor the observers.

"Observers do not give us legitimacy or validity...the world has to accept what this is, a transparent and massive turnout - or what we hope that it will be massive - and that there will be no complaints."

Honduras will host elections on 29 November ...........