Hondurans May Reform Constitution
Tegucigalpa - The Honduran government said it was willing
to hold a vote of confidence Sunday on a
possible constitutional reform in spite of
Congressional maneuvers to prevent it.
In a survey on June 28 citizens must decide
if they support a fourth ballot in the
general elections to hold a Constituent
Assembly and Reform of the Constitution.
This consultation cannot be stopped because
it is the demand of the people for
participative and not representative
democracy, said President Manuel Zelaya in
answer to Congressional prohibition to hold
referendums and plebiscites 180 days before
and after elections.
Sectors of the oligarchy, business and
religious personalities rejected the
government initiative that has, however, the
support of popular leaders, campesinos,
intellectuals and left wing politicians.
"The consultation assures fulfillment of the
universal postulate that democracy is a
power of the people, for the people and by
the people," affirms a manifesto signed by
30 renowned artists and academics.
Detractors insist that the intention of the
president is to extend his mandate although
Zelaya has promised to hand over power in
2010 as required by law.
The Electoral Supreme Court and Supreme
Court of Justice ruled the consultation
illegal and threatened the former Labor
Minister, German Leitzelar with sentences
between 10 and 15 years for those who
support the call for a Constituent Assembly.
The Honduran Constitution dates back to 1982
and contains seven fixed articles that
cannot be reformed referring to the form of
government, territory and presidential
period.
According to the president the current
Constitution makes it impossible to make
profound transformations to eradicate
destitution and inequality in the country in
which 7 of every 10 persons live in
conditions of poverty and extreme poverty. |
