OCTAVIO SANCHEZ: Don't believe the coup myth.

OCTAVIO SANCHEZ: Don't believe the coup myth.

... The Honduran military acted entirely within the bounds of the Constitution. The military gained nothing but the respect of the nation by its actions.

... Sometimes, the whole world prefers a lie to the truth. The White House, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and much of the media have condemned the ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya this past weekend as a coup d'état.

That is nonsense.

In fact, what happened here is nothing short of the triumph of the rule of law.

... Under our Constitution, what happened in Honduras this past Sunday?

Soldiers arrested and sent out of the country a Honduran citizen who, the day before, through his own actions had stripped himself of the presidency.

... These are the facts:

• On June 26, President Zelaya issued a decree ordering all government employees to take part in the "Public Opinion Poll to convene a National Constitutional Assembly."
• In doing so, Zelaya triggered a constitutional provision that automatically removed him from office.
• Constitutional assemblies are convened to write new constitutions.
• When Zelaya published that decree to initiate an "opinion poll" about the possibility of convening a national assembly, he contravened the unchangeable articles of the Constitution that deal with the prohibition of reelecting a president and of extending his term.
• His actions showed intent.

Our Constitution takes such intent seriously.

According to Article 239:

"No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform [emphasis added], as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years."

Notice that the article speaks about intent and that it also says "immediately" – as in "instant," as in "no trial required," as in "no impeachment needed."

The Honduran military acted entirely within the bounds of the Constitution. The military gained nothing but the respect of the nation by its actions.

I am extremely proud of my compatriots. Finally, we have decided to stand up and become a country of laws, not men. From now on, here in Honduras, no one will be above the law.

Octavio Sánchez, a lawyer, is a former presidential adviser (2002-05) and minister of culture (2005-06) of the Republic of Honduras.

OBAMA AND HIS COMRADES AREN'T DUMB;

THEY KNOW ALL THE ABOVE,

BUT ACTED TO DEFEND ZELAYA ANYWAY -

BECAUSE LIKE ZELAYA THEY ARE SOCIALISTS FIRST:

THEY ARE LEFTISTS WHOSE DESIRE TO REDISTRIBUTE PROPERTY

IS GREATER THAN THEIR RESPECT FOR THE LAW.

(VIA MEMEORANDUM.)

THE HONDURAN CONSTITUTION:

ARTICULO 239.- El ciudadano que haya desempeñado la titularidad del Poder Ejecutivo no podrá ser Presidente o Designado. El que quebrante esta disposición o proponga su reforma, así como aquellos que lo apoyen directa o indirectamente, cesarán de inmediato en el desempeño de sus respectivos cargos, y quedarán inhabilitados por diez años para el ejercicio de toda función pública.

UPDATE: 3 HOURS LATER AND INSTAPUNDIT POSTS A LINK.