Former Honduran President Zelaya says U.S. knew about 2009 coup

Former Honduran President Zelaya says U.S. knew about 2009 coup

2010-11-30 14:09:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (BNO NEWS) -- Former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya on Monday said that one document released by Wikileaks demonstrates that the United States knew in advance of the coup attempt against him on June 28, 2009, local media reported.

"The complicity of the United States is demonstrated as it knew in advance about the plans and execution of the coup d'état and remained silent," Zelaya said in a statement from the Dominican Republic where he lives since being overthrown.

Zelaya referred to a report dated July 24, 2009 from Hugo Llorens, the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras. In the document, Zelaya said, Llorens reported that there were no doubts that the Honduran Army, the Supreme Court and the Congress were conspiring against Zelaya's government in an unconstitutional and illegal move.

Llorens allegedly remarked that despite the allegations against Zelaya, the rise to power of Roberto Micheletti, who took the helm of the Latin American country, was illegal. Zelaya was overthrown as he attempted to hold a national poll to extend his mandate.

However, the report from the U.S. Ambassador - as cited by Zelaya - indicates that there were no arguments to justify the coup against Zelaya as they lacked of substantial validity according to the Honduran constitution. The former President said that the report showed that the U.S. was aware of the coup but did not act against it.

"This document holds the United States responsible which knew of the crime, justified it and supported the perpetrators," Zelaya added. "This situates the Obama administration in serious troubles."

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