(Untitled)

[barbednoose]

The Honduran military took over the presidential palace and sent president Manuel Zelaya into exile in Costa Rica.  Crazy, the balls on those bastards!  Funes (El Salvador), Chavez (Venezuela) and others are demanding that the country reinstates their elected president.  Obama made a statement lightly denouncing the military's action.  I could've

Comments

[abiotique]

re-election is a touchy subject. we have to endure an idiot for 6 years in this country. thankfully, there is no re-election. if there was, i'm sure we'd be in bigger trouble than we are right now.
still, military governments are of the worst kind. poor people. i hope they get their president back peacefully. because we all know who gets it worse in the end.

[barbednoose]

Re-election could go either way. You get a great person leading the country, making the right calls, having the majority's support and you want him to continue. On the other hand, you have a thief in office, stealing from his own country, selling out his resources to the multi-national corporations and you want him out ASAP.

But either way, it's the choice of the citizens and NOT any government branch. If Honduras or Venezuela only want one-time exclusive presidential terms, that's their call.

[abiotique]

latin-americans need to learn how to let go of power when it needs to be handed down to someone else. because you can't have the same person 30 years even if they're running a good government; it would make people have a fixed place in the world, and i think that's totally unfair. part of growth is change, and although it has its risks, it reflects society's aspirations and advances, black holes and the tiniest injustices that, whether we like them or not, will always exist. furthermore, i really believe we're culturally handicapped to deal with such things as re-elections. between neediness and delusions, well... i think lots of education and improvement is needed in order to contemplate such things. but you're right: it's the people's choice, no question about it.

[barbednoose]

The problem with open elections in a poor society is that it is incredibly vulnerable to outside manipulation, fiercly so if there is a viable leftist movement, that serves the interest of the outside country (U.S.) more than its very own - i.e. (almost?) every country in Latin America. And the only road that kind of society takes is to an armed struggle, which no one should ever want.

Idealy, free elections are a fundamental basis for a fair and just society. I'm not arguing against that. But it's the people who ought to be the decision makers. If they want a person for 30 years, so be it. If they want to take their chances with a shaky (if not controlled) electoral process, so be it.

I believe the progress of society should ALWAYS be in the hands on the people. Society can progress faster and more efficiently without capitalistic means.

Regardless of our theories and opinions of society, Honduran citizens right to choose is the unshakeable point in all this.