[Marxism] Honduras military spreads story of "exile" but protesters demand Zelaya safety

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(Honduran radio station HRN reported that Zelaya 
had been sent into exile, citing unidentified 
"trustworthy sources."

(The radio announcer said it was not known to 
what country he had been taken but "apparently 
he flew on the presidential plane to Venezuela.")
=================================================

Private secretary: Soldiers arrest Honduran president on day of disputed
referendum
FREDDY CUEVAS, WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press Writers
8:54 AM CDT, June 28, 2009

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - More than a dozen soldiers arrested President
Manuel Zelaya and disarmed his security guards after surrounding his
residence before dawn Sunday in an action that one supporter labeled a coup.

Zelaya was taken to an air force base on the outskirts of the capital,
Tegucigalpa, his private secretary Carlos Enrique Reina told The Associated
Press.

"We're talking about a coup d'etat," labor leader and Zelaya ally Rafael
Alegria told Honduran radio Cadena de Noticias. "This is regrettable."

Alegria said that shots were fired during the president's arrest "but we
really don't know much about what happened."

Honduran radio station HRN reported that Zelaya had been sent into exile,
citing unidentified "trustworthy sources."

The radio announcer said it was not known to what country he had been taken
but "apparently he flew on the presidential plane to Venezuela."

No one from the military or president's office would confirm the coup or
exile reports.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro have
both expressed support for Zelaya, who insisted on holding a referendum on
constitutional reform on Sunday even though the Supreme Court ruled it
illegal and everyone from the military to Congress and members of his own
party opposed it.

Shortly after Zelaya's arrest, dozens of white pick-up trucks packed with
soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder sped to the presidential palace in
downtown Tegucigalpa, blocked the entrances and closed a large chainlink
gate on the hillside road leading to the national government's headquarters.

"They kidnapped him like cowards," Melissa Gaitan, 21, an employee of the
official government television station, screamed as tears streamed down her
face. "We have to rally the people to defend our president."

About 30 supporters including Gaitan yelled insults at soldiers on the other
side of the gate, while more troops could be seen surrounding the palace.
News media were kept outside the gate as well.

Outside Zelaya's residence, a police officer who would not identify himself
by name told the AP that soldiers had disarmed Zelaya's security guards but
there was no violence or injuries.

The president's arrest took place about an hour before polls were to open
for the nonbinding referendum asking voters if they want to hold a vote
during the November presidential election on whether to convoke an assembly
to rewrite the constitution.

"We demand respect for the president's life," Alegria said. "And we will go
out into the streets to defend what this has cost us: living in peace and
tranquility."




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