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Caribbean-Latin America | ||||
U.S. Limits Visas In Honduras | ||||
2009-08-26 | ||||
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it will temporarily restrict issuing U.S. visas in Honduras, raising pressure on the government that took power after a June 28 coup to step down. The State Department, which has repeatedly condemned the
U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the visa decision was intended to reinforce an Organization of American States' delegation that landed in Honduras on Monday to try to persuade the de facto government to accept the Arias' plan. "In support of this mission and as a consequence of the de facto regime's reluctance to sign the San Jose accord, the U.S. Department of State is conducting a full review of our visa policy in Honduras," Kelly said in a written statement. "As part of that review, we are suspending non-emergency, non-immigrant visa services in the consular section of our embassy in Honduras, effective August 26," Kelly added. "We firmly believe a negotiated solution is the appropriate way forward and the San Jose Accord is the best solution." A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters the visa decision was "a signal of how seriously we are watching the situation" and said Washington was considering other steps though it was premature to disclose these. Another U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the visa suspension would chiefly hit Honduran tourists and business people, although he noted that most of these already have multiple entry visas that are still valid. The "There will be elections whether they are recognized or not," the country's caretaker leader Roberto Micheletti told foreign ministers from the region on a visit with Organization of American States chief Jose Miguel Insulza. Micheletti said his country could survive any economic sanctions imposed over his refusal to allow Zelaya's return. "We are not afraid of anyone's embargo," Micheletti told the ministers. "This country can get by without your support." The Honduran crisis has divided Washington. Earlier this month, 16 Democratic Congressmen wrote to Obama urging him to freeze the assets of Advocacy group Human Rights Watch on Tuesday urged the international community, and the United States in particular, to ratchet up pressure on the
"The U.S. government, in particular, could play a key role through the use of carefully targeted sanctions," said HRW director for the Americas, Jose Miguel Vivanco. Vivanco said the Obama administration should directly target members of the | ||||
Posted by:Steve White |
#3 They are messing with our archeology expeditions? |
Posted by: 3dc 2009-08-26 21:47 |
#2 We need a Coventry for recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. Somewhere to keep them where they won't cause any more damage to the general public. |
Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-08-26 15:09 |
#1 wrote my Congressman Duncan D. Hunter about this. The Reps should be the crap out of Obama and DOS over their bolivarian friendship |
Posted by: Frank G 2009-08-26 06:49 |