Bishop says wealthy elite behind Honduran coup

[IndianaGreen]

Bishop says wealthy elite behind Honduran coup

Aug. 05, 2009
By NCR Staff

Catholic News Service reports that a Catholic bishop in western Honduras said members of the country's wealthy elite were behind the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya.

Bishop Luis Santos Villeda of Santa Rosa de Copan also said the country needs a dialogue between the elite and Honduras' poor and working-class citizens. "Some say Manuel Zelaya threatened democracy by proposing a constitutional assembly. But the poor of Honduras know that Zelaya raised the minimum salary. That's what they understand. They know he defended the poor by sharing money with mayors and small towns. That's why they are out in the streets closing highways and protesting (to demand Zelaya's return)," the bishop told Catholic News Service.

In a July 30 telephone interview, he said it is misleading to consider Honduras a democracy, either before or after the June 28 coup. "There has never been a real democracy in Honduras. All we have is an electoral system where the people get to choose candidates imposed from above. The people don't really have representation, whether in the Congress or the Supreme Court, which are all chosen by the rich. We're the most corrupt country in Central America, and we can't talk about real democracy because the people don't participate in the decisions," he said.

http://ncronline.org/news/bishop-says-wealthy-elite-behind-honduran-coup

[Arctic Dave]

1. What? I'm the first?

Were is our all Leftist South American leaders are the devil crowd. Viva, Fascismo!

[PDJane]

2. This isn't a shock.

And I do suspect there's some American backing somewhere. Call me a cynic.

[IndianaGreen]

4. The bishop may get a visit from one of our SOA graduates

That evil school at Fort Benning should be shut down by Obama. It is a stain on our nation's character!

[scarletwoman]

3. Ya think? I do appreciate that this bishop has spoken out.

Anyone who DIDN'T recognize that the coup was the work of the wealthy elites would have to be woefully and utterly ignorant.

Thanks for posting this.

Rec'd,
sw

[timeforpeace]

5. Weird. Wealthy elites there are fascists yet here they're socialists.

[Karenina]

7. It's ENOUGH now...

[formercia]

6. Nice to get some validation for what we've been saying all along.

It took a lot of courage to come out and say it.

[formercia]

8. Don't forget the right-wing reactionary elements of the 'Church.'

Opus Dei and the Knights of Malta.

[subcomhd]

9. And in related news..

the sun came up in the East this morning.

[Hestia]

10. I am reading "The Family", and this "group" has large fingers in Honduras

and other Latin America countries. I feel that this is where the US help is coming from. The Family makes personal loans to leaders of other countries.

[Judi Lynn]

11. You just may find it interesting to look at this info on the 10 families which control Honduras,

posted by DU'er "flamingdem" in the Latin America forum this a.m.:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x20798

Simply amazing.

It's time they get diversified in that country!