Micheletti May Briefly Step Aside One Week Before Elections

De facto Honduran President Roberto Micheletti announced Thursday he may step down from his current position just days before Nov. 29 elections. For one week, beginning on Nov. 25, the intransigent politician said his cabinet would assume control of the country, writes the New York Times. He once again, however, ruled out any chance that President Mel Zelaya be restored to the power, and, writes the AP, Micheletti also said he would re-assume power should threats to “order and security arise.” He went on: “I anticipate that the decision could be interpreted by those with bad intentions who with their erratic conduct and their intention to provide discord would say that it is a sign of weakness of my government. To those people who contribute nothing to the peace and safety that my country so needs and deserves, I assure them that it is exactly the contrary.” (for the full Spanish transcript, see La Tribuna here and for an English translation say RAJ).

As the Times writes “Micheletti’s move fell short of what he and Mr. Zelaya agreed to in an accord struck in October with the help of the United States.” But, nevertheless, the announcement is being interpreted as an attempt to give more legitimacy to a vote that only Panama and the U.S. have said they will support (at least in the hemisphere). “It's symbolic, but the fact that Micheletti won't be presiding over the government when elections take place will help to some extent to help get other governments to come around to recognize the election,” says Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue. For its part, the U.S. itself seemed content with the announcement Thursday. One Obama administration official tells the Times that the U.S. “welcomes” the Micheletti decision.

Around the region this morning:

· With news from yesterday’s Cuba travel hearing, you can read Congressman Howard Berman’s (D-CA) opening statement here (courtesy of the Lexington Institute), as well the statement of the Phil Peters, Vice President of the Lexington institute, who provided testimony on Thursday. Additionally, one of the centers of attention at the hearing was Cuban blogger, Yoani Sanchez, who sent a letter to Rep. Berman prior to the hearing, which the congressman read from during his statement. Sanchez—recently detained and roughed up by Cuban security officials—also sent questions to President Obama which the President took the time to answer in written form (see Sanchez’s blog Generacion Y for the full Obama statement). According to Obama, Cuba must act if it wants normal relations with Washington. Interestingly, Sanchez is an outspoken critic not only of the Castro regime, but also of the U.S. Cuba travel ban.

· The Wall Street Journal writes this morning that an upcoming visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil is “spurring criticism of the country in Washington, souring a budding U.S.-Brazilian relationship that appeared to promise a period of unprecedented cooperation in Latin America.” “Giving Ahmadinejad credibility by welcoming him is a terrible mistake,” says Congressman Eliot Engel (D., N.Y.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “It makes you wonder if Brazil is really ready for the new era of global relations it envisions.” Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim insists, however, that the country seeks to maintain good relations with all nations, saying differences must be solved through dialogue. Just one week ago Brazil also hosted Shimon Peres, leader of Iran’s sworn enemy, Israel.

· Also from Brazil, El País writes that Lula has asked for increased state control over the Brazilian press. The paper compares the recently revealed position of the President to that of Venezuela and Argentina, both of whom have cited the problem of media “monopolies” in their countries. No formal legislation has yet to be introduced as the new position was simply codified in an internal PT document this week.

· The AP has a gruesome report on a gang operating in the Peruvian jungle which has been killing people for their human fat, then sold on the black market as an important ingredient for cosmetics.

· VOA has an interesting report on a Miami meeting this week between U.S. and Latin American counter-narcotics officials. The piece highlights attempts at improving U.S.-Venezuelan anti-drug activities. Cooperation between the United States and Venezuela has suffered since 2005, when President Hugo Chavez ordered U.S. drug agents to leave the country. Venezuela continues to work closely with many European countries on counternarcotics, including Great Britain.

· And finally, the WSJ, in an editorial, argues that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe should end his bid for a third term in office. The paper writes: “Mr. Uribe is supposed to be another kind of president, a reformer who understands that Colombia needs a government of laws and not of men. By strengthening the institutions that defend freedom over nearly eight years, he has built a better country. His final gift would be to preserve those gains by allowing the transition of power to a new leader.”