Mel's Plan for National Reconciliation

Mr. Zelaya's plan may seem outrageous and dangerous, given how much division, hate, and fear this man has created in Honduras. Common sense would dictate that the longer Mr. Zelaya stays away from Honduras, the better.

By Marco Cáceres
Manuel Zelaya has been on the road during the past two weeks trying to sell a plan for national reconciliation in Honduras that he has devised. First, he went to visit President Rafael Correa in Ecuador. Then, he traveled to Nicaragua to spend a day with President Daniel Ortega before heading off to Cuba to meet with President Raúl Castro. It was in Nicaragua on May 13 that Mr. Zelaya first announced his plan, although he revealed few details about it. As important as a "Plan for National Reconciliation" sounds, you would think that Mr. Zelaya would have written it down somewhere so that it could be seriously evaluated. You would think that one of his aides or advisors would have taken the initiative to commit their boss's ideas to paper. Nope. So let's give it a try here...

Based on Mr. Zelaya's public comments, it seems that his plan consists of one central point and three attached conditions. The central point is that those nations in Latin America and the Caribbean that have yet to recognize the Lobo government and re-establish full diplomatic relations with Honduras would grant this recognition and, further, support Honduras' readmission to regional organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Central American Integration System (SICA) on the condition that:

1) President Lobo issue a declaration of amnesty to Mr. Zelaya for all of the criminal charges against him and allow Mr. Zelaya to return to Honduras without the threat of arrest or persecution.

2) President Lobo allow the the National Resistance Front against the Coup d'État to officially organize as a political party in Honduras, with all the requisite rights and privileges.

3) President Lobo permit Mr. Zelaya to participate freely in political activities in Honduras.

That's pretty much the extent of it.

The underlying assumption of the plan is that Mr. Zelaya's safe return to Honduras and the elimination of any efforts to hold him responsible for alleged crimes would signal the good faith required to begin healing the wounds left within Honduran society as a result of Mr. Zelaya's overthrow last summer.

The recognition of the Resistencia as a political party would supposedly give legitimacy to the movement and facilitate its institutionalization so that it can more easily organize and grow, and thereby ensure its long-term survival.

Permitting Mr. Zelaya to engage in politics as he wishes would essentially leave him unrestrained either to try and regain a leadership role within the Liberal Party (... as utterly unlikely as that may be) or within the new far-left FNRP Party -- Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular. It would also make it easier for Mr. Zelaya to promote the political careers of his wife, Xiomara, and eventually his daughter, Xiomara Hortensia... thereby maintaining some hope of restoring the honor of the family name and even piecing together a political dynasty under his patronage.

Mr. Zelaya's plan may seem outrageous and dangerous, given how much division, hate, and fear this man has created in Honduras. Common sense would dictate that the longer Mr. Zelaya stays away from Honduras, the better. But while the plan has nothing to do with national reconciliation and everything to do with Mel Zelaya, the truth is that a reasonable case can be made for granting two out of the three conditions.

The one condition that cannot be met is the first one. While President Lobo can guarantee that Mr. Zelaya will not be arrested and be bothered too much by his administration, he cannot automatically pardon him for alleged crimes. Mr. Zelaya must at least go through the process of answering to the charges against him. He must act like an adult citizen, rather than a spoiled child. (5/28/10) (photo of Manuel Zelaya courtesy Internet)