Despite our words, we've yet to do anything to try to compel the interim government to allow Zelaya to return to power.
Chavez would like us to do more:
Chavez said Honduras is a true test for Obama to prove that he is changing Washington's relationship with Latin America. The Venezuelan leader went on to accuse the U.S. administration of dithering, and said that the U.S. should withdraw its military base in the Central American nation and freeze the assets of the new government's leaders to prove it is against the coup.
"[Obama] won't fool the world," Chavez said Sunday. "It's the hour of the test," he said, adding that Obama needs to show he is "ready to confront the hawks of the empire. If not, he better leave, because he'll end up worse than Bush."
I believe we have about 600 troops in Honduras. There is no way we should remove them.
If we do, Chavez will see this as a green light to attack Honduras. The man might actually fly in troops to Nicaragua to see if he can lead his revolution by force. Ortega would love this, no doubt.
With revolutionary blood shed, the revolutionary torch would be passed from Catro's Cuba (whose troops fought across Africa) to Venezuela. And the Axis of El Vil would graduate to the Axis of Evil-in-training status.
UPDATE: Why is Zelaya confident enough to issue this threat? Is he convinced Chavez will lead a Venezuelan-Nicaraguan attack to restore him?
"We are giving the coup regime an ultimatum," Zelaya said Monday at a news conference in Nicaragua, where he arrived Sunday night following a brief trip to Washington.
If at the next round of talks the interim government does not agree to reinstate him, "the mediation effort will be considered failed and other measures will be taken," he said. He did not say what those measures would be.
Or is Zelaya all bluff since Chavez has more important things to worry about than a long-shot Zelaya restoration?
I hope that Micheletti holds fast for scheduled January elections and that for all our words we take no substantive action against Honduras. Micheletti should hold the concession of earlier elections for a last minute face-saving measure if all else fails to let those who support Zelaya believe they've gotten something.
