The 2009 Honduran Coup: Ousting of President Manuel Zelaya

On June 28, 2009, a military coup in Honduras resulted in the ousting of President Manuel Zelaya, marking a significant political crisis and drawing widespread international condemnation.

Background

Manuel Zelaya, elected as President of Honduras in 2005, was a member of the Liberal Party. During his presidency, Zelaya shifted from a centrist position to align more closely with leftist policies, drawing Honduras into alliances with countries like Venezuela under Hugo Chávez. This shift caused friction with the Honduran Congress, the judiciary, and the military, which were largely conservative.

The immediate catalyst for the coup was Zelaya’s push for a non-binding referendum to gauge public support for rewriting the Honduran Constitution. The proposed changes were seen by opponents as a move to extend presidential term limits, although Zelaya denied this intention. The Supreme Court of Honduras had declared the referendum illegal, and the military, which was tasked with distributing ballots, refused to comply with Zelaya’s orders.

The Coup

In the early hours of June 28, 2009, the Honduran military, acting on orders from the Supreme Court, detained President Zelaya and forcibly exiled him to Costa Rica. This action was justified by the military and Zelaya’s political opponents as a defense of the constitution, but it was widely viewed as a coup d’état.

Roberto Micheletti, the President of the National Congress and a member of Zelaya’s own Liberal Party, was appointed as interim president. Micheletti’s government argued that Zelaya’s removal was constitutional, but this stance was not widely accepted internationally.

International Reaction

The coup was met with immediate and widespread international condemnation:

• The Organization of American States (OAS): The OAS suspended Honduras, demanding Zelaya’s reinstatement.
• The United Nations: The UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the coup and calling for Zelaya’s return.
• United States: The U.S. government, under President Barack Obama, condemned the coup and called for the restoration of democratic order.
• European Union: The EU also condemned the coup and suspended aid to Honduras.

Aftermath and Consequences

The coup led to months of political unrest and protests within Honduras. Zelaya attempted to return to the country multiple times, eventually re-entering clandestinely and taking refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.

Negotiations, mediated by international actors, eventually led to the Tegucigalpa-San José Accord, which outlined a process for national reconciliation and the restoration of democratic governance. However, Zelaya was not reinstated as president, and elections were held in November 2009, leading to the election of Porfirio Lobo Sosa as president.

The coup had long-lasting effects on Honduran society and politics, deepening divisions and contributing to ongoing instability and challenges to democratic governance in the country. It also highlighted the fragility of democratic institutions in the region and the complexities of international diplomatic interventions in domestic political crises.