Honduras: A Mess Made in the U.S.A.

   That is the title of  a New York Times opinion piece by Dana Frank a history professor at the University of California Santa Cruz campus. Ever since the coup of June 28 2009 Frank claims the country has become worse in terms of security and human rights abuses. While the U.S.made a number of moves to oppose the coup and tried to arrange through the OAS a solution to the crisis with the elected president Jose Zelaya to return until elections were held,. Zeleya never returned to power. The coup members were able to ride the storm of international protest and thumb their noses at the OAS and U.S.
   Current president Lobo was elected in November 2009 in an election run by the very figures prominent in the coup. Much of the opposition withdrew from the elections to protest.. International observers boycotted the election except for those intrepid U.S. sponsored National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute both financed by the U.S.
    UN statistics show that Honduras now has the world's highest murder rate. The second largest city San Pedro Sula a major drug center is said to be more dangerous than the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez. While many commentators blame the renewed violence solely on drug gang operations,  Frank claims it was the coup and aftermath that left the doors open for drug operations and also unleashed a wave of state repression as well.
      The Obama administration was under fire by some right wing groups in the U.S. for not throwing his weight behind the coup in the beginning. But Obama did quickly recognize Lobo's victory as the return of democracy to Honduras. It was the return to power of the Honduran elite who kindly allow the U.S. to base troops in Honduras among other favors. Obama recognized the Lobo presidency even when much of Latin America refused to do so.
   According to Cofadeh the human rights organisation 34 members of the opposition have disappeared or been killed. More than 300 people have been killed by state security forces since the coup. The Committee to Protect Journalists notes that 13 journalists have been killed since Lobo became president. For much more see this article.