August 08, 2009

Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou?, by Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, translation by Adrienne Pine, 08/08/2009— AP

Many conspired, encouraged and went along with the coup that, a month ago, destroyed the country's institutions, among them the State of Law and the democratic right of the people to elect a president. I have spoken about the organic intellectuals of the coup who thought it up, and in the coming days, the task lies before me to analyze the business leaders behind the coup. The military carried out the coup--only they could--and they took matters into their own hands, as is evident from the fact that its partners now seem embarrassed by the [president's] expulsion and are distancing themselves. As has recently been noted in intellectual circles, they have been so afraid of Chavez that it seems like they are going to create one of their own, who will carry out the reforms they did not permit when pursued by legitimate means.

It was the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who ordered the criminal acts of the coup and who came to this decision under the orders and the shadow of Romeo Vásquez Velásquez. Only they could have made the decision to escalate the repression. And only if a solution is found for the military will the crisis be resolved peacefully. Romeo is a lost cause.

It turns out that this jefe with the romantic name had fallen hard into temptation, the temptation to carry out a coup. Last year on September 22nd, on a television program that at the time was still pretending to represent both sides of political issues, he said that others, presumably enemies of the president (he didn't give names), had approached him to propose a coup. Additionally, with the new attention--which always puts the public figure under the magnifying glass--a series of the General's penal antecedents, previously unremembered, have come to light; the fact that he was arrested as a member of a dangerous band of crooks of the worst breed, led by a retired official with a sorry past. And there are rumors that the generals that made up the gang shared their extortion money with Vásquez Velásquez, although they pulled out halfway and requested an extension, although this would be difficult to prove because according to our law (and this is why they protect it) only the police and armed forces do not have to sell off or account for any of the funds they receive.

Elsewhere, a communique has been circulated (and not convincingly discredited) from other dissatisfied officials, assuring that the General "has politicized the Armed Forces," (which is absolutely and precisely true), and that he is abusing his power. The atmosphere induced confusion. The U.S. military officials with whom we spoke in diplomatic meetings and who are the principal international spokespeople for our military officials, dared voice their disgust for "the increasing closeness with Chavez." Ours are trained with Pavlovian methods; they react primitively to fear. And it occurs to me that they may have gotten their signals crossed between the gringo military and the CIA, and perhaps they have thought that the Pentagon would prevail over the Department of State or even the U.S. Presidency.

It is necessary to consider the motive. The generals say first and foremost that they complied with their "legal" obligation. They have obligated the judiciary to provide them spurious documents that, according to the regime, "protect them" from arrest while publicly blathering on about "defending the fatherland." These reserve officers even want to prepare for a Venezuelan invasion. (In contrast, they have never been afraid of making fools of themselves). But no one is arguing that they acted legally, aside from those who find themselves with no other choice. The first communication between the General and his close colleagues lacked any legalistic rhetoric. He declared that President Zelaya "had offended him, offended his dignity," making it understood that he would seek revenge. And we all assumed that the offense had been his removal and that of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, although they had offered their resignations on numerous occasions, rather than the politically impossible, the postponement of the poll about the 4th ballot box.

I am not surprised by Romeo's betrayal as much as I am by his malicious naiveté. The General evidently does not understand the consequences of his acts, the very negative repercussions they have already had for the nation and the repercussions that they will have in his life; neither did he ever imagine the greater meaning of the processes he let loose with his coup. Perhaps we are pessimistic. The future is always unpredictable. What can we expect from him? Will Romeo let his arm be twisted? Even if his false rhetoric is perfect, and he hides behind his role as righteous guardian of the Constitution, does the General believe that he will be able to deceive history, like he has managed to deceive half of the Honduran population that doesn't have access to all the information, or isn't inclined to inform itself better? "You can't fool all the people all the time." (A.L.)

It is significant that the gringos have not revoked the visas of Romeo and his four generals. And perhaps it doesn't matter to them and they don't lose sleep over not being able to go the the U.S. I don't know; it isn't clear, nor is it of great importance. It is only a moral sanction. But why is the embassy treating the military with such respect? A cynic would say that the coup leaders in the military know something about the gringos, making it so that the embassy doesn't dare include them among those being sanctioned. Or is it simply filial piety?

Many honorable soldiers are already affected by the suspension of joint operations and military aid. But the worst impact of the coup is without a doubt the loss in professionalism and image. When Ambassador Llorens visited President Manuel Zelaya in Nicaragua a couple days ago, he was accompanied by two or three high military officials dressed in civilian clothing. Most important, for the soldiers themselves, will be the repercussions of the event in the middle-term future.

For a long time in Honduras the topic of abolishing the armed forces has been avoided; the Armed Forces are thought to be eternal, or at least to have the right to exist as long as the nation does. The Armed Forces had earned prestige; they had managed to wash the face of the institution. They defended the idea that they were with the people. They had obtained a new mission with the protection of natural resources and providing disaster relief to the people. They were supposedly cooperating with the DEA. But from now on it will be impossible to avoid the prospect of abolishing them.

Furthermore, global justice will pursue these people for decades. They won't be able to go for treatment in a foreign hospital. They won't be able to take a grandchild to see New York, Paris, or who knows what. Because it won't be a question of whether or not they have an ordinary visa. Attorney generals and righteous judges will be spread out all over the world waiting for them. President Zelaya has already announced a lawsuit against the coup leaders and specifically against Vásquez and four other generals. In addition to the U.S. visa, is Romeo running the risk of losing his visa to enter Olancho? Only a counter-coup can save the Armed Forces from infamy.

Original:
Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle
Romeo, Romeo ¿dónde estás que no te veo?

Otros conspiraron, alentaron y acompañaron al golpe que, hace un mes, dio al traste con la institucionalidad del país, con el Estado de derecho y con el derecho democrático del pueblo de elegir a un Presidente. He hablado acerca de los intelectuales orgánicos del golpe que lo idearon y queda pendiente, para dentro de unos días, analizar a los empresarios golpistas. Los militares fueron ejecutores del golpe; solo ellos podían y tomaron las decisiones en sus manos, como demuestra el que sus socios parecen apenados ahora por la famosa expulsión y los dejan solos. Como recientemente ha trascendido en círculos intelectuales, tanto miedo le han manifestado a Chávez que, de repente, se van a conseguir uno de verdad, que haga las reformas que no permitieron hacer por las buenas.

Fueron los miembros de la Junta de Comandantes quienes ordenaron los actos criminales del golpe y tomaron esa determinación a las órdenes y a la sombra de Romeo Vásquez Velásquez. Solo ellos pudieron haber tomado la determinación de escalar la represión. Y va a ser solo si se encuentra una solución para los militares, que la crisis se resolverá de manera pacífica. Romeo no tiene remedio.
Ha trascendido que este jefe con nombre de enamorado había sufrido esta tentación, de dar el golpe, largamente. El 22 de Septiembre del año pasado en un programa de televisión que todavía entonces fingía confrontar los dos lados de un tema polémico, dijo que otros, presumiblemente sus enemigos del Presidente, se le habían acercado para hablar de golpe, aunque se reservó los nombres. También ha trascendido --con la nueva atención, que siempre pone al hombre público bajo la lupa-- una serie de antecedentes penales del General, que no estaban a la vista; el hecho de que fuera detenido como miembro de una peligrosa banda de maleantes de la peor ralea, comandado por un oficial retirado de triste memoria. Y rumores de que los generales que lo acuerparon se repartieron con Vásquez Velásquez el dinero que pidieron a manera de extorsión, aunque se rajaran a medio camino y pidieran prórrogas, aunque eso sea difícil de probar porque según nuestra ley (para eso la protegen) solo la policía y las FFAA no tienen que liquidar ni rendir cuenta d elos fondos que se les entregan.

Por otro lado, ha circulado un comunicado no desmentido convincentemente de otros oficiales descontentos que aseguran que el General “ha politizado a las FFAA”, y eso es absoluta y rigurosamente exacto y que abusa de su poder. El ambiente inducia confusión. Los militares estadounidenses con que conversábamos en las reuniones diplomáticas y que son sus principales interlocutores extranjeros de nuestros oficiales militares, se atrevían a manifestar su disgusto por “el acercamiento con Chávez”. Los nuestros están entrenados con métodos pavlovianos, reaccionan al miedo en forma primaria. Y se me ocurre que pudieron haberse confundido con señales de los militares gringos y la CIA y ¿pensaron que El Pentágono prevalecería sobre El Departamento de Estado o aun la Presidencia de EEUU?

Es obligado considerar el móvil. Los generales dicen primero que cumplieron con su obligación “legal”. Han obligado a la judicatura a proveerlos de documentos espurios que, según el régimen, “los amparan” para la detención y públicamente se llenan la boca hablando de ¡la patria defendida! Esos reservistas incluso se quieren preparar para una invasión venezolana. (Nunca les ha dado miedo, en cambio, el ridículo). Pero nadie ya los ampara en ese término de que hicieron lo legal, fuera o dentro, si apartas a los obligados. La primera comunicación que el General hizo a sus íntimos de todas formas carecía de retórica legalista. Declaró que el Presidente Zelaya “lo había ofendido, en su dignidad”, dando a entender que se vengaba. Y todos presumimos sin certeza que la ofensa había sido su destitución anunciada y la de la Junta de Comandantes, aunque habrían proferido en repetidas ocasiones sus renuncias, a cambio de lo políticamente imposible, la postergación de la encuesta sobre la IVta.

No me extraño de la traición de Romeo tanto como de su maligna ingenuidad. El General no entiende evidentemente el alcance que tiene lo que ha hecho, la repercusión muy negativa que ya tuvo en la vida de la nación y la repercusión que tendrá en su vida y tampoco columbró nunca la trascendencia de los procesos que desencadenó con su golpe. Seamos pesimistas. El futuro siempre es impredecible. ¿Qué podemos esperar de él? ¿Va a dar su brazo a torcer Romeo? ¿Aun si su falsa retórica es perfecta, y se escuda en el justiciero papel de guardián de la Constitución, creerá el General que va a poder engañar a la historia, así como tiene engañada a la mitad de la población hondureña que no tiene acceso a toda la información o no tiene la disposición de informarse mejor? “No se puede engañar a toda la gente todo el tiempo.” (A.L.)

Significativamente no ha trascendido que los gringos les estén retirando las visas a Romeo y sus cuatro generales. Y quizás a éstos no les importe y no pierdan el sueño por no poder ir a EEUU. No lo sé, no me consta y no es trascendente. Se trata de una sanción moral. ¿Por qué tanto respeto de la Embajada con los militares? El malpensado diría que algo le saben los militares golpistas a los gringos que no se atreven a mencionarlos como personas en las sanciones. ¿O será el simple afecto filial?

A muchos militares honorables les afecta ya, la suspensión de las operaciones conjuntas y de las ayudas militares previstas. Pero lo más grave será sin duda que el golpe constituye una pérdida de profesionalismo y de imagen. Cuando el Embajador Llorens hace un par de días visito al Presidente Manuel Zelaya en Nicaragua, lo acompañaban dos o más altos oficiales militares vestidos de civil. Lo más trascendente, para los mismos militares, será la repercusión del evento en el mediano futuro.

Largamente se ha evitado plantear en Honduras la extinción de las FFAA, que se suponen eternas, o al menos con derecho a existir mientras exista la nación. Las FFAA se habían ganado un prestigio, habían conseguido lavarle la cara a la institución. Defendian la idea de que estaban con el pueblo. Se habían conseguido una nueva misión con la protección de los recursos y asistiendo al pueblo en las catástrofes naturales. Estaban supuestamente cooperando con la DEA. Pero de ahora en adelante va a ser imposible rehuir el prospecto de la extinccion.

Además a esta gente la justicia mundial los va a perseguir por décadas. No van a poder ir a curarse a un hospital en el extranjero. No van a poder llevar a un nieto a conocer qué se yo, Nueva York, Paris. Porque no va a ser cuestión de que tengan o no una visa ordinaria. Los van a estar esperando fiscales y jueces justicieros, que van a brotar por todo el mundo para ellos. El Presidente Zelaya ya anunció una demanda contra los golpistas y específicamente contra Vázquez y otros cuatro generales. ¿Aparte de perder la visa de EEUU, se arriesgará Romeo a perder la visa para entrar a Olancho? Solo un contragolpe restaurador, puede salvar a las FFAA de la infamia.

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