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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000495

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KDEM HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAN PRESIDENT FIRES MILITARY JOINT CHIEF;
MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND OTHER MILITARY LEADERSHIP RESIGN

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 489
¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 474
¶C. TEGUCIGALPA 465
¶D. TEGUCIGALPA 462
¶E. STATE 61160
¶F. TEGUCIGALPA 438 AND PREVIOUS

TEGUCIGALP 00000495 001.2 OF 002

Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reason 1.4 (B & D)

¶1. (C) Summary. President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya fired the Military Joint Chief General Romeo Vasquez the evening of June 24 after the latter refused to carry out an order to provide support for the June 28 poll to support a November referendum on constitutional reform, a poll ruled illegal by a Honduran appellate court. The rest of the military leadership then resigned, followed by Minister of Defense Edmundo Orellana. Zelaya then called for a rally of social groups that support him at the Presidential Palace for noon on June 25. Attorney General Luis Alberto Rubi issued a statement calling the firing illegal and said he would seek a court order reinstating Vasquez. The Honduran Congress and Supreme Court have been called into session. The breakdown followed the failure of Honduran political leaders to reach an accord on the wording for a June 28 poll. Though major Liberal Party leaders met in four meetings between June 17 and 22, hosted by the Ambassador, they were unable to reach an agreement on wording of the poll so that all would accept its legality. Following the end of the talks, those opposed to the poll prepared legislation (not requiring presidential approval to become law) that would have supported court findings of its illegality, but permit the military to provide logistical support without sanctions, thereby removing pressure from the military. Congress membership, however, refused to support the bill. End summary.

¶2. (C) President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya fired the Military Joint Chief General Romeo Vasquez the evening of June 24 after the latter refused to carry out an order to provide support for the June 28 poll to support a November referendum on constitutional reform, a poll ruled illegal by a Honduran appellate court. Vasquez confirmed to DATT that he had been fired as he would not carry out an "illegal" order. Vasquez issued a statement urging the military to remain calm and to follow orders. The rest of the military leadership then resigned, followed by Minister of Defense Edmundo Orellana, a loyal supporter of Zelaya's Orellana told the Ambassador that Zelaya had asked him to stay but that he replied that he could not do so with the military leadership resigning.

¶3. (C) Zelaya announced the firing and resignations in a short nationally broadcast speech and called for left-wing social groups that support him to gather at the Presidential Palace at noon (2 p.m. EDST) on June 25. Meanwhile, Attorney General Luis Alberto Rubi issued a statement calling the firing illegal and said he would seek a court order reinstating Vasquez. The Congress has been called back into session and the Supreme Court issued a statement saying it was meeting.

¶4. (C) The breakdown followed the failure of talks between Liberal Party leaders to forge a consensus on the June 28 poll. Following up on President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya's request to host a meeting between him and fellow Liberal Party leaders to restart a dialogue between them (reftel F), the Ambassador, accompanied by DCM, following instructions given in reftel E, hosted four meetings at his residence the evenings of June 17, 19, 20 and 22. One side was represented by Zelaya, while the other former President Carlos Flores. The talks quickly focused on the wording of the June 28 poll, which specifically called for a constituent assembly. Flores argued that the reason the courts had ruled the poll illegal was that it specifically called for such an assembly, which legally could only be done by a referendum approved by the Congress. Flores, through a series of proposals, attempted to get Zelaya to accept a text without reference to a constituent assembly, instead suggesting that he accept text that called for a referendum that would reform the constitution, leaving the method in which this was done up to Congress when it drafted the wording for the referendum. Flores argued that it was in the President's interest to find a way to have the poll legalized, as two judges had already ruled against it. In particular, legalization would ease the pressure on the military which had been ordered by Zelaya to provide logistical support to the poll and ordered by the courts not to do so. The talks succeeded in restoring a degree of camaraderie among those present. Zelaya tentatively agreed to accept new wording three times, but each time backed down, claiming pressure from left-wing social groups.

¶5. (C) Throughout the talks, Flores had privately indicated to the Ambassador that in absence of an agreement, he and his allies had an "option B" that revolved around a legislative solution to the military's predicament. After it became clear that there would not be an agreement, Flores met with the Ambassador and DCM the evening of June 23 and described the plan. He showed us draft legislation that would provide legal cover for the military to carry out logistical support for the poll, while maintaining the poll's illegality. Flores explained that there were three types of legislation that could become law without presidential approval; one of these concerned executive branch conduct; he said that this legislation would be passed under that category. He added that he had already received approval of the legislation from Liberal Party Leaders and from National Party leader and presidential candidate Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo, and that he believed it would be passed. However, both Liberal and National Party Congressional members revolted against the idea on June 24 and it did not pass.

¶6. (C) Comment: The current situation remains fluid. We have urged Zelaya to cancel the poll, and encouraged other political and military leaders to remain calm. In the talks on the poll, Flores, Santos, and Micheletti represented the establishment and emphasized the need to follow the rules of the game, while Zelaya espoused populist rhetoric, arguing that the country needed fundamental change in order to develop. While only the Embassy had the influence needed to bring the two sides together, in the end it was apparent that Zelaya was not willing to make the compromises necessary to reach an agreement.

LLORENS