Obama's Honduras Response Defuses Chávez Bluster

President should demonstrate US commitment to democracy: expert

(NEWSER) - The Honduran military coup overthrowing President Manuel Zelaya offers the Obama administration a chance to rehabilitate the battered reputation of the US in Latin America, Reuters reports. "This is a golden opportunity to make a clear break with the past and show that he is unequivocally siding with democracy” after so many US-manipulated coups in the region during the Cold War, said former Costa Rican Vice President Kevin Casas-Zamora. More»

(AP) - Honduras' ousted president, bolstered by international support, said he will return home to regain control and urged soldiers to stop cracking down on thousands of supporters who have protested his overthrow. Flanked by Latin American leaders who have vowed to help him regain power, Manuel Zelaya said yesterday he would accept an offer by the OAS secretary-general to accompany him back to Honduras. More»

It's yet another way the president's a commie

(NEWSER) - Glenn Beck found a new and creative way of insinuating that President Obama is a commie last night, attacking him for—of all things—opposing the military coup in Honduras. See, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro also opposed the coup, which means clearly any right-thinking non-pinko would support it. “That’s Glenn Beck logic in action for you,” an incredulous Cajun Boy blogs for Gawker. More»

Africa advocates say White House overlooks troubled continent

(NEWSER) - Michelle Obama's trip to southern Africa this week is giving new life to criticism that the Obama administration is overlooking the troubled continent, reports the Washington Post . The president has been to sub-Saharan Africa only once since taking office— a 24-hour trip to Ghana in 2009 —and critics say the region has been largely ignored. The American government is “not seeing Africa as a big priority," said a spokesman for TransAfrica Forum. "There has been some ambivalence.” More»

Ousted president and 70 others trapped inside Brazilian embassy

(NEWSER) - Security forces in Honduras barricaded ousted president Manuel Zelaya inside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa overnight, cutting off water, electricity, and telephone service to the building. Zelaya and about 70 other people are enduring a de facto siege, reports the Guardian; troops are stationed on nearby rooftops, speakers are blasting high-pitched noise at the building, and soldiers have set up a three-mile perimeter after yesterday's violent scenes that left about 20 people injured. More»