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Will L America's
Stabilization Mechanism Work In Resolving Honduran
Chaos?
Buenos Aires - The political chaos in Honduras,
which shows no sign of abating, will be an acid test
for Latin America's ability to resolve conflicts and
preserve stability through a regional multilateral
framework.
But can it live up to the test?
TURMOIL IN HONDURAS SPARKS REGIONAL CONCERNS
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was removed from
office in a military coup on Sunday afternoon, just
hours after some 200 soldiers surrounded his
official residence in the Honduran capital and
forced him to board a plane to Costa Rica after a
referendum scheduled for Sunday on changing the
country's constitution has put Zelaya at odds with
the military, the courts and the legislature.
Honduran Congress announced later Sunday that
Roberto Micheletti will replace Manuel Zelaya as the
country's acting president.
The coup has drawn concern from other Latin American
countries.
Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela,
Ecuador, Colombia ,Bolivia, Paraguay, Nicaragua and
El Salvador have condemned the coup and refused to
recognize the new government. They have also called
for Zelaya's immediate reinstatement.
CAN COLLECTIVE INTERVENTION MECHANISM WORK THIS
TIME?
Shortly after the coup, the regional collective
intervention mechanism was set in motion through the
mediation of such multilateral bodies as the
Organization of American States (OAS), the Union of
South American Nations and the Rio Group.
The OAS, for example, held an emergency meeting
Sunday, calling on the international community to
act to halt the "serious disruption of the
democratic process of the continent."
It also plans to call a meeting of foreign ministers
to discuss how to respond to the latest political
crisis in Honduras.
Latin America was plagued by coups until the 1980s.
Since then, most countries in the region have
achieved peaceful transitions from military to
civilian rule. There is a prevailing consensus in
the region that any political differences should be
resolved through dialogue and legal means under the
constitutional framework.
And any attempt to try to resolve internal disputes
through violence or even coups is a violation of the
democratic mechanism and runs counter to the
Inter-American Democratic Charter signed in 2001.
In recent years, Latin American countries have
greatly enhanced their ability to tackle regional
issues through multilateral mediation and
intervention. When Colombia's cross-border attack
against rebels triggered a serious diplomatic crisis
with Venezuela, Ecuador and Nicaragua in early 2008,
Latin American countries succeeded in brokering
reconciliation between the four countries at a Rio
Group summit, thus preventing a potential escalation
of tensions in the region.
Also when Bolivia's political situation was plunged
into turmoil in September 2008, Latin American
leaders voiced their support for Bolivian President
Evo Morales and warned that any violation of the
country's constitution and democratic process would
not be tolerated. They also sent observers and
diplomats to Bolivia for mediation efforts between
the Bolivian government and the opposition, which
finally brought the two sides back onto the track of
democratic mechanisms.
With their success in resolving a series of crises
in the region, the collective mediation and
intervention mechanism has entered a period of
maturity, playing an active role in safeguarding
regional stability and the democratic process as
well as boosting regional integration.
The Honduran coup poses a new test for this
mechanism. What Latin American countries will do
next is now the focus of international attention.
Observers are waiting to see how it would work this
time and how much success it would achieve. |
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