The following is an unofficial translation by PSLweb.org.
In the dawn hours of Sunday, June 28, when the Honduran people were prepared to exercise their democratic will in a consultative survey, promoted by the President of the Republic Manuel Zelaya Rosales, in order to deepen participatory democracy, a group of hooded military personnel who affirmed they were under orders of the high command of the Armed Forces, assaulted the residence of President Zelaya to kidnap and disappear him for several hours and later violently expel him from his homeland.
Immediately, the people of Honduras reacted as the deserving heirs of the legacy of Francisco Morazán, and went into the streets of different cities and villages of Honduras. In the first hours of the morning, hundreds of electoral polls received thousands of women and men who came to exercise their right to vote, and upon being informed of the kidnapping of their President, turned out into the streets to protest the coup d’etat. They were an example of heroism by facing unarmed, the rifles and tanks.
Telesur television broke through the national and international silence that the dictatorship imposed when it shut down the state TV channel and cut the electrical power. It tried to hide and justify the coup d’etat to the people and the international community. They demonstrated an attitude that is reminiscent of the worst epoch of dictatorships that our continent experienced in the 20th century.
With one voice, we governments and peoples of the continent react by condemning the coup d’etat, making it clear that in Honduras there is only one President and only one Government: that of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales. We also salute the declarations of condemnation that, very early, other governments of the world began to transmit.
With the urgency of the situation, the governments of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) have immediately convened an extraordinary Presidential Council, with the objective of agreeing upon overwhelming actions to defeat the coup d’etat in Honduras, to support the heroic people of Morazán, and to reestablish unconditionally President Manuel Zelaya Rosales to his legitimate office.
After analyzing the circumstances that led to this coup d’etat, given the gravity of the violations of International Law, of the multilateral conventions and accords of our countries with the Republic of Honduras, and in view of the categorical rejection by the international community of the dictatorial government, we member countries of ALBA have decided to withdraw our Ambassadors and leave only a minimum diplomatic representation in Tegucigalpa, until the legitimate government of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales is reinstated to its legitimate functions.
In the same manner, we recognize as the only diplomatic representatives of Honduras the personnel designated by President Zelaya. Under no circumstances will we accredit personnel designated by the usurpers.
In addition, as full members of the different systems of continental integration, we urge our fellow countries of UNASUR, SICA, CARICOM, the Rio Group, the United Nations and the Organization of American States to proceed in like manner toward the aggressors of the Honduran people.
In addition, we have agreed to declare ourselves on permanent alert to accompany the courageous people of Honduras in the actions of struggle that they have called, and we invoke Articles 2 and 3 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Honduras:
“Article 2: Sovereignty rests upon the People, from which emanate all powers of State, exercised by representation. The Sovereignty of the People can also be exercised in a direct manner, through Plebiscite and Referendum. The displacement of popular Sovereignty and usurping of power are to be considered as crimes of Treason to the Homeland, and one is to be removed forthright from office or by petition of any citizen.”
“Article 3: No one owes obedience to a usurping government nor to anyone who assumes functions or public office by force of arms or using means or procedures that violate or do not recognize that which this Constitution and the law establish. The acts carried out by such authorities are null and void. The people have a right to resort to insurrection in defense of the constitutional order.”
The principles of International Law also back the people’s acts of resistance and rebellion against the attempts at domination. To the teachers, workers, women, youth, peasants, Indigenous, honest businesspeople, intellectuals and the rest of Honduran society, we assure you that together we will win a great victory over the coup plotters who are attempting to dominate the brave people of Francisco Morazán.
Invoking the spirit and thought of Francisco Morazán, together with him we condemn the coup plotters when we say: “You men who have abused the rights of the people by sordid and avaricious interests! I speak to you, enemies of independence and freedom. … That same people that you have humiliated, insulted, degraded and betrayed so many times that you make yourselves judges of their destiny … that people will be your judge.”
Those who are directing the coup d’etat should know, it will be impossible for you to impose your authority and make a mockery of international justice, which sooner or later you will be subjected to. To the officials and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Honduras, we call on you to rectify what you have done and use your weapons to serve the people of Honduras and your General Commander, President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales.
We member states of ALBA, in consultation with governments of the continent and with diverse authorities charged with overseeing International law, are putting forth measures so that the grave violations and crimes being committed do not enjoy impunity.
The only option left for the coup plotters is to reverse their action and guarantee in a secure, unconditional and immediate manner, the return of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales to his constitutional duties.
The Republic of Honduras is a full member of ALBA, as well as other entities of regional integration and multilateral organizations, whose members demand respect for the sovereignty of the people and the constitution. With these fundamental rights being violated by the coup plotters, the governments of ALBA have decided to maintain all the programs of cooperation that we have put forth with Honduras through President Zelaya.
In like manner, we propose that all the multilateral and integration entities apply exemplary sanctions, and effectively contribute to the immediate restitution of the constitutional order of Honduras, and give force and effect to the principle of action that José Martí gave us as legacy when he declared: “Each one do your duty, and no one can defeat us.”
We governments of ALBA declare ourselves in permanent consultative session, with all the governments of the continent, to evaluate other joint actions that will permit us to accompany the Honduran people in the reestablishment of the legality and restoration of President Manuel Zelaya Rosales.
Two hundreds years after the historic gesture that our peoples developed throughout our continent, following the eternal example of the General of free men Augusto Cesar Sandino, of Francisco Morazán, and loyal to the words of the Liberator, Simon Bolivar, we cherish, together with the people of Honduras and the peoples of the world, the certainty of victory, since “all the peoples of the world who have fought for freedom have exterminated their tyrants in the end.”
Managua, June 29, 2009
Presidential Council of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America
