A Spanish priest, residing in Honduras, questions the stances the Government of Spain has taken against Honduras, which are causing so much damage in the country.
Antonio Rieu, who lived in Congo, Rwanda, Cameroon and Ivory Coast, now runs a Marist high school in Honduras. He sent a letter to the Spanish Ambassador in Honduras, from which we translate an excerpt:
While the people of Honduras continue to suffer from international isolation, the political and diplomatic corporation of Latin America and the Caribbean will discuss its fate in Cancún.
The Rio Group (an OAS alternative), will become the next stage in which the representatives of the region’s governments will promote their own political and personal projects, as they discuss the future of a theoretically sovereign country.
Central America's chambers of commerce requested the European Union to recognize the elections in Honduras, in order to resume negotiations for an association agreement.
At a meeting in San José, Costa Rica, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Central American Isthmus (Fecamco), "unanimously endorsed Honduras' elections" and asked the European Union to recognize them.
"Not recognizing the elections nor the future president would be hurting the Honduran people, who have already suffered enough, and don't deserve it", Oscar Arias, President of Costa Rica.
At a press conference during the XIX Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State, the president of Costa Rica remarked the "double standards" of the international community with regards to the Honduran political crisis.
President Oscar Arias, who mediated in the Honduran political crisis, assured he will recognize the outcome of the upcoming elections.
In an interview with CNN on Friday, Arias stated he would recognize the result of Sunday's elections, given they develop without incidents.
"'... if everything goes right', in Sunday's elections, 'most of the world's countries should recognize the outcome', requested the Nobel prize winner", according to Laprensagrafica.com.
The political crisis in Honduras didn't damage business as much as it was expected, evidencing that Central America is more integrated economically than politically.
Two elements contributed to keeping borders open to trade: Honduras central location in the region, and the diversification and growth experienced by intra-regional commerce in the past few years.
An update on the current situation of the Honduran conflict, in an analysis in which the clock is ticking against Zelaya.
The article in America Economía is interesting due to its content and its peculiar graphical presentation. Its author, Rodrigo Lara, shows us 12 points which resume the current situation of the Honduran political crisis, and its impact on the region.
In Honduras, a inflexible Latin American diplomacy failed, forcing the intervention of the only country capable of forcing an agreement.
The agreement negotiated by Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon is a testimony of the considerable influence that Washington still has over Latin America, despite verbal attempts by Chávez and other leaders of the region to undermine it.
The editorial at Nacion.com remarks: "if all that is left is poses, angry reactions and more inflexibility, Zelaya's presence could be the trigger that was needed for real violence".
"No agreement will be possible unless Latin America's democratic countries nullify the distorting actions of Hugo Chávez, so diplomatic initiatives are not based on ideological intentions but democratic objectives.
Costa Rica's Commerce Ministry is proposing a change in the rules, in order to close the agreement without Honduras.
So far, Europe's stance has been to put the process on hold until the Honduran crisis is resolved with the restitution of deposed president Manuel Zelaya, an event that may never occur. If the winner of the planned elections in Honduras is not recognized, the Association Agreement with Europe could be postponed sine die.
President Micheletti reaffirmed Honduras intention to carry out elections in November, in front of a commission of OAS chancellors.
According to BBC Mundo, Micheletti stated that elections will be held November 29th, 'whether the countries of the world recognize us or not. We are not afraid to anyone's embargo. We can move forwards without the support of any of you', in reference to the decision by some governments to break relations and cancel agreements with Honduras.
Mario Vargas Llosa writes on the serious political situation in Honduras, with his renowned objectivity and analytic capacity.
The Peruvian writer brings us a critical vision of the positions of the two battling sides, drafting a solution similar to the one proposed by Costa Rican president Oscar Arias.
"Awakening a constitutionally elected president with bayonets, and sending him to exile without giving him even a chance of changing his pajamas, as was done by the Honduran military to Manuel Zelaya, is an act of political barbarism..."
State Secretary Hillary Clinton announced that the President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, will serve as international mediator in the Honduran political crisis.
The announcement was made after a private meeting with Manuel Zelaya, Honduras ousted president, exiled from the country on June 28.
Clinton said that both Zelaya and appointed president Roberto Micheletti accept the designation of Oscar Arias as mediator.