New York Times Recalibrates its Story on Zelaya and Micheletti - No Deal in the Works!

From Rep. Connie Mack - Press Release - July 30, 2009:

[Thursday's] New York Times asserted that Honduran President Roberto Micheletti is working on a deal to bring former President Manuel Zelaya back to power [the story was posted on the New York Times' website on Wednesday and published in the print edition on Thursday].

Mack said:

“I spoke to President Micheletti today by telephone. The New York Times story is utterly untrue and there is no deal to bring Manuel Zelaya back to power. The people of Honduras do not want and will not accept Zelaya’s return.

“Zelaya was removed from the presidency through a legal process established by the Honduran Constitution. He was voted out of office by the Honduran National Congress. The Honduran Supreme Court ordered Zelaya’s arrest. This was not a coup. This is a matter of Honduran law and sovereignty.

“The ones supporting the ousted President include Hugo Chavez and other leftist dictators in Latin America.

“The Obama Administration’s position is appalling. They are siding with the forces of evil against the forces of freedom. They are involving themselves in the internal politics of a sovereign nation. It is wrong and must be stopped.

“Furthermore, I am outraged that the Obama Administration pulled the visas of Honduran officials who didn’t agree with the Administration’s policies, and threatened to pull more. They are retaliating against Honduran judges and Members of Congress for taking positions against Hugo Chavez and other leftists in Latin America.

“Manuel Zelaya broke the law. The New York Times story is inaccurate and fabricated.”

Here is what the New York Times reported:

The head of Honduras’s de facto government, Roberto Micheletti, has expressed support for a compromise that would allow the ousted president of his country to return to power, according to officials in the de facto government and diplomats from the region...

Mr. Micheletti has repeatedly refused to consider the reinstatement of the ousted president... But on Wednesday, the officials said, Mr. Micheletti called President Óscar Arias of Costa Rica... to express his support for a plan... [that] would allow Mr. Zelaya to return as president, although with significantly limited powers.

However, the New York Times altered its story today [July 31] - and is now reporting, as follows:

The de facto Honduran government insisted Thursday that it would not allow ousted President Manuel Zelaya to return to office, dampening hopes of a deal to end a political crisis after last month's coup.

Roberto Micheletti, named president by Congress after Zelaya was toppled in the June 28 coup, said he was open to dialogue to resolve the crisis but would not accept Zelaya back in power, as mediators are asking.

"I've clearly said it before and I say it again, if there is a solution where I have to step down I will do it willingly, but I cannot allow Zelaya to return as president," Micheletti told reporters.

Rafael Pineda, who as minister of the presidency is No. 2 in the de facto government, told Reuters the administration was "firm, unchangeable" against Zelaya's return to power...

The coup leaders are under pressure from Washington to reinstate Zelaya, and a source close to the de facto government said Micheletti might consider letting Zelaya back if there were assurances he would not try to derail democracy.

But Micheletti said Thursday that if Zelaya came back it would be to face trial.

Zelaya incited profound criticism while in office by allying with Venezuela's firebrand President Hugo Chavez and pushing to allow presidential re-election.

"If he wants to retake control of the government, not under any circumstance," Micheletti said.

It's quite possible that Micheletti had been misquoted earlier [intentionally, or unintentially] by Honduran officials. It is also plausible that Micheletti had indeed intended to allow Zelaya to return to power, albeit with limited powers, but was eventually persuaded by members of the interim government not to cave in to the former dictator.

Whatever the case may be, I hope Micheletti remains defiant in his refusal to strike a deal with the Devil, namely, Mel Zelaya, and his socialist allies - Obama, Chavez and Ortega......