Jim DeMint Honduras Trip: Zelaya Removal and Honduras Supreme Court

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) just returned to the Honduras capital city of Tegucigalpa. He says there is no chaos in Honduras other than the "chaos" in the Obama administration's policy to restore ousted president, Manuel Zelaya. See video below.

DeMint and Honduran Supreme Court

DeMint says "Honduras has moved on:"

The presidential election is on schedule for Nov. 29. Under Honduras's one-term-limit, Mr. Zelaya could not have sought re-election anyway. Current President Roberto Micheletti—who was installed after Mr. Zelaya's removal, per the Honduran Constitution—is not on the ballot either. The presidential candidates were nominated in primary elections almost a year ago, and all of them—including Mr. Zelaya's former vice president—expect the elections to be free, fair and transparent, as has every Honduran election for a generation.

Jim DeMint - Tegicugalpa, Honduras

According to DeMint, he met only one official opposed to the upcoming elections and the denial of Zelaya back in as head of the government, and wouldn't you know, that was U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens. Llorens urged DeMint to read the legal opinion written by Harold Koh, the State Department's top attorney. DeMint says he requested to view the opinion before going to Honduras, and after, but has not been allowed even a peek.

Six Democrat members of the U.S. House sent a letter to the Honduran Congress "warning that DeMint doesn't speak for them or the White House.

Underlining the word “one,” the letter states, “The United States government has one position.”

Senator John Kerry tried to block DeMint's trip. In fact, Kerry denied funds for the trip - a power that he has as head of the Foreign Relations Committee, but has never before used to block a Senator's travel. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) intervened with Defense Department, asking them to provide an aircraft, which the DOD agreed to do.

DeMint called Kerry's actions "bullying tactics."

Rep. Aaron Schock was a part of the DeMint delagation. You can read his report here.

A poster at the Charleston City Paper, Chris Haire, in his column Haire of the Dog, doesn't like Jim DeMint, thinks DeMint is a "blowhard," and stated unequivocable that DeMint would not be receiving a "Nobel anytime soon." Haire has apparently made some comments siding with Manuel Zelaya.

He received a letter at the Charleston City Paper from someone claiming to live in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and this person believes that Senator DeMint is "helping" and Zelaya is a Chavez/Castro type dictator. You can read the letter here.

In the video below, DeMint explains how the upcoming election will be handled, and what part Hillary Clinton may plan in the future of Honduras.


Read Senator DeMint's report at the Wall Street Journal.

See all of Senator DeMint's Honduran photo album here.










Jim DeMint on Honduran Supreme Court and Constitution (video)