When there is a right-wing coup in Central American, it is inevitable that there are suspicions of U.S. involvement. Despite the pious words of Secretary Clinton and President Obama regretting the coup, it is generally considered significant that they have not yet demanded the immediate return of President Zelaya to power, but have instead spoken of talks involving all sides, including the right-wing military traitors who kidnapped Zelaya and sent him into exile. There is no doubt that some U.S. officials were involved in earlier organizing against the Zelaya government, during the presidency of George Bush. Whether that continued under Barack Obama is an open question. Democratic Party administrations have certainly been involved in plotting right-wing coups in past years, for the benefit of business interests and the detriment of local working people.

The coup came on the day which was supposed to see voting in "straw polls" on future political developments in Honduras. The military, rightist party leaders, and the reactionary hold-over Supreme Court, all acting on behalf of the big ranchers, the industrialists, and foreign businesses, were desperate to prevent the free expression of the will of the Honduran people. Even grossly biased U.S. media reports admit that Zelaya has the support of the poor - and the poor are at least 3/4 of the population of Honduras. But in the eyes of the wealthy, they do not count at all.

The Peace and Freedom Party strongly condemns the coup against President Zelaya. We urge the government of the United States to make immediate public statements endorsing the return to power of the elected president of Honduras, and we further demand a speedy investigation of the role of agents of the U.S. government and U.S. corporations in planning and promoting the coup. We thank the many progressive governments that now exist in the Americas for their quick expressions of support for the Honduran people and opposition to the coup. And we urge everyone who is able, specifically members and supporters of the Peace and Freedom Party, to participate in the demonstrations and other actions being organized in many cities in opposition to the coup, and in support of Honduran democracy.

-Kevin Akin, California State Chair, Peace and Freedom Party, June 29, 2009