Antonio Ledezma calls for hunger strike from OAS

Antonio Ledezma Venezuela opposition leader and the elected mayor of the city of Caracas (Alcaldia Mayor), has today declare himself on a hunger strike from the offices of the Organization of American States in Caracas, Venezuela.

Let’s remember that Antonio Ledezma was elected Mayor of the City of Caracas (Alcaldia Mayor) last December. The President Hugo Chavez has not liked the idea of having an opposition mayor in the city of Caracas, important Chavista controlled zone. Chavez promoted through the National Assembly that officially creates an office of governorship of the City of Caracas (Primera Autoridad), and the appointment comes straight from President Chavez.

Antonio Ledezma in his hunger strike requests the OAS, the following:

1. The immediate release of the public funds for the workers of the Mayorship of the city of Caracas
2. To stop the arbitrary dismantlement of the Office of the Mayor of the city of Caracas by the Executive Government.
3. The OAS should designate a high level Commission to travel to Venezuela, with urgency status, to observe the grave situation democracy is going through in Venezuela, and how the national Constitution is violated, specially the office of the Mayor of the city of Caracas and the governorships of Tachira, Zulia, Miranda, Carabobo and Nueva Esparta.
4. To verify in the case of the Mayor Antonio Ledezma, the National government and the rest of its representatives mock Venezuela´s national sovereignty

If Ledezma continues with this hunger strike, it could be groundbreaking and perhaps ignite a social upheaval and could get the international attention on the democracy in Venezuela. In my mind, I can see parallels between Mel Zelaya and Antonio Ledezma. Or better yet, between Zelaya and Hugo Chavez who constantly violates the Constitution of Venezuela and remains, yet, unpunished.

Constitutional Crisis in Honduras?

This past weekend the events in Honduras has raised international attention. The events that led the Armed Forces of Honduras to take action against the elected President, Zelaya.

The constitutional quagmire as I understand is as follows. President Zelaya requested in an additional referendum question in Honduras (political survey) asking the Hondurans whether or not they are in agreement with the establishment of a Constitutional Assembly to draft a new constitution, and thus enabling himself for reelection. Now, the issue at hand is that the current Honduran Constitution provides in article 239 that anyone who has been previously elected president can not be eligle for President. Further, article 239 of the Honduran Constitution provides that anyone who breaches the rule or proposes its ammendment, and those who directly or indirectly give their support, will cease from public office and will remain politically disable for 10 years.

Now in my view President Zelaya has breached Honduran Constitutional law, specifically article 239, by submitting or trying to submit the possibility of his political reelection by the establishment of a Constitutional Assembly.