Senators press Administration to respect Honduran law

Seventeen Senators on Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urging the Obama administration to reverse its rhetoric and support the removal of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, The Hill reported today.

The following is a small excerpt from the aforementioned letter [PDF link]:

President Obama said in Moscow, "we respect the universal principle that people should choose their own leaders." In a 125-3 vote, the Honduran congress approved of the actions taken to remove Mr. Zelaya from office and install Mr. Michelleti.

It appears that the elected officials of Honduras - representing their constituents - did indeed choose their own leader and that the system of checks and balances, instrumental to a functioning Democracy, actually worked as prescribed.

With these facts in mind, we are concerned by what appears to be one-sided support for Mr. Zelaya, and it appears this situation was exacerbated by this administration's insistence in disregarding Honduran law...

The US position should not be about supporting specific politicians in this crisis, but about supporting Democracy for the Honduran people and judiciously defending the rule of law...

We look forward to working with you to ensure the respect for the rule of law in Honduras and freedom and Democracy in Latin America...

The letter was signed by Senators Jim DeMint (S.C.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Cornyn (Texas), David Vitter (La.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), John Ensign (Nev.), Jim Bunning (Ky.), Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), James Inhofe (Okla.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), Mike Johanns (Neb.), Jim Risch (Idaho), Pat Roberts (Kan.), Kit Bond (Mo.) and John Thune (S.D.).