NewsWhore
12-09-2009, 05:20 PM
After initial reports that newly elected President Porfirio Lobo of Honduras would be visiting the DR tomorrow, it now transpires that his visit, which included a meeting with President Leonel Fernandez, has been called off, as reported in the Listin Diario. Lobo is on a regional tour seeking support from Latin American leaders following his 29 November election.
In his first visit of the tour on Tuesday to Costa Rica, he received the support of President Oscar Arias. After the visit, Arias said he was proud to be the first head of state to officially accept Lobo as president-elect, as reported in the Tico Times. "The Honduran people have been punished enough. They have suffered much," said Arias, who acted as mediator during the initial months of the Honduran crisis. "They can't be punished more." Arias said he hoped other heads of states would follow their lead: "It's still early for them to change their opinion," he said. "But I think their position will change (in time)."
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli was also present to offer Lobo his support on Tuesday.
But in the DR, Julio Cesar Valentin said that given the choice, he would not meet with recently elected Honduran president Porfirio Lobo. Valentin, president of the Chamber of Deputies, made his comments in advance of Lobo's announced visit to the DR, which had been scheduled for tomorrow. Valentin's stance is that by receiving Lobo, the country would be turning its back on deposed president Manuel Zelaya. Fellow legislator, APD party member Carlos Sanchez said that by receiving Lobo the DR would be "legitimizing" the 1963 coup that ousted then President Juan Bosch from office.
Hoy quotes an unnamed source as saying that Lobo was scheduled to meet with President Leonel Fernandez at the Presidential Palace on Thursday. Yesterday Lobo was given the cold shoulder by the heads of state of Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. The leaders of these neighboring South American nations are calling for Zelaya to be reinstated.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
In his first visit of the tour on Tuesday to Costa Rica, he received the support of President Oscar Arias. After the visit, Arias said he was proud to be the first head of state to officially accept Lobo as president-elect, as reported in the Tico Times. "The Honduran people have been punished enough. They have suffered much," said Arias, who acted as mediator during the initial months of the Honduran crisis. "They can't be punished more." Arias said he hoped other heads of states would follow their lead: "It's still early for them to change their opinion," he said. "But I think their position will change (in time)."
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli was also present to offer Lobo his support on Tuesday.
But in the DR, Julio Cesar Valentin said that given the choice, he would not meet with recently elected Honduran president Porfirio Lobo. Valentin, president of the Chamber of Deputies, made his comments in advance of Lobo's announced visit to the DR, which had been scheduled for tomorrow. Valentin's stance is that by receiving Lobo, the country would be turning its back on deposed president Manuel Zelaya. Fellow legislator, APD party member Carlos Sanchez said that by receiving Lobo the DR would be "legitimizing" the 1963 coup that ousted then President Juan Bosch from office.
Hoy quotes an unnamed source as saying that Lobo was scheduled to meet with President Leonel Fernandez at the Presidential Palace on Thursday. Yesterday Lobo was given the cold shoulder by the heads of state of Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina. The leaders of these neighboring South American nations are calling for Zelaya to be reinstated.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)