by Stephen Lendman

Xiomara Castro

Previous articles discussed it. Honduran elections are won the old-fashioned way. They're stolen. State-sponsored electoral theft is official policy. It's longstanding.

November 24 was no exception. Presidential elections were held. Eight candidates contested. Only two mattered.

LIBRE party (Liberty and Refoundation) candidate Xiomara Castro challenged ruling National party's Juan Orlando Hernandez.

The National Front of Popular Resistance (FNRP) established LIBRE. It did so following the 2009 coup.

Dark Honduran and US forces collaborated. President Manuel Zalaya was ousted. Fascist governance replaced him. Hernandez represents it.

Castro enjoys enormous support. Pre and post-election polls showed it. LIBRE declared victory. Honduran Supreme Electoral Tribunal officials (TSE) denied it.

Everything was prearranged. Massive fraud, intimidation and vote buying anointed Hernandez president. He has no legitimacy whatever. According to Castro:

"Based on exit polls that I have received from around the country, I can tell you: I am the president of Honduras."

She's contesting for the office she won. She rejects illegitimate results. She called them "a fraud of incalculable proportions."

She refuses to go quietly into the night. She urged supporters to protest publicly. She'll be there with them.

She called November 24 voting "a disgusting monstrosity that has robbed me of the presidency."

She cited "innumerable" voting irregularity examples. They were blatant. They were brazen. They were widespread. They were in plain sight. They were too obvious to miss.

"We are not going to accept the results released by the (state-controlled) Supreme Electoral Tribunal, and we will not recognize the legitimacy of the government that is the product of this shameful assault," said Castro.

She demanded a total vote recount. "Our position is irreversible," she added.

"So long as we are not allowed to enter the Supreme Electoral Tribunal's (computer) system, we are not going to accept the result."

"This (process) is being stolen by those who have turned the electoral system into a farce."

"We all know there were major irregularities, that fraud was committed."

"The people elected us. And it is necessary to deliver proof decisively."

She addressed "our people," "our youth," and "business people" call on you to unite to defend our (victory). This fight has just begun. They will never defeat us."

EU and OAS observers lied. So did Carter Center representatives. Their reports ignored blatant election rigging fraud.

They admitted some irregularities. They glossed over them dismissively. Washington recognized the fake results. It supports numerous despots. It does so globally.

It props up friendly dictatorships. It supplies weapons and other aid. It does it to suppress indigenous populations. It's longstanding US policy.

Honduras is a virtual American colony. It's been this way for decades. Official US policy supports war on indigenous rights. It's in lockstep with Honduran viciousness.

Democracy is verboten. America has none at home. It tolerates none abroad. Puppet despots are most valued. Washington covets them. It installs them. It provides full support. It does so in Honduras.

In 1998, Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon indicted Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. He wanted him held accountable for crimes against humanity too great to ignore.

He observed Honduras' election. He denounced what went on. He saw election rigging firsthand. He spoke publicly about it, saying:

"There was voter ID buying, attempted vote-purchasing at balloting stations, and other types of fraud that are in the report that we presented in Honduras."

Leo Gabriel was an EU observer. He's an Austrian journalist. He said the vast majority of European delegates strongly disagreed with the mission's report.

A heated debate preceded it. Business as usual prevailed. Blatant irregularities were ignored. The EU gave high marks "in terms of transparency as well as respect for the will of voters in the tabulation," said Gabriel.

He was asked to comment. He was clear and unequivocal, saying:

"We had the opportunity to observe the elections at the polling stations, and we arrived at conclusions that stand in diametric opposition to the EU-EOM (EU Election Observer Mission) leadership, with regards to the supposed transparency in the voting and vote-counting processes."

He observed in Cortes. He "could see from the start that this electoral process was compromised."

"I can attest to countless inconsistencies," he stressed. "There were people who could not vote because they showed up as being dead, and there were dead people who voted."

"It was also clear that there was a huge mess at the voting stations, where the hidden alliance between the small parties and the National Party led to the buying and selling of votes and (electoral worker) credentials."

"During the transmission of the results there was no possibility to find out where the tallies where being sent and we received reliable information that at least 20% of the original tally sheets were being diverted to an illegal server that they kept hidden."

"To speak of transparency after everything that happened last Sunday is a joke, and I believe that, first and foremost, we observers have to be honest and portray what we have really seen."

No EU observer "defended the content of the (mission's) report or the idea that there had been transparency."

Their views contrasted with "the intransigence of the EU-EOM team leaders."

They refused "to cede one millimeter. We argued for a serious discussion. (T)hey firmly refused."

"I believe the TSE pulled the results out of their sleeves according to a pre-defined political calculus.

Asked if he thought the process was rigged, he left no doubt, adding:

"Yes, because (official) results don't have any basis, and the speed with which they came out with the early data demonstrates that."

He hopes LIBRE and others denouncing blatant fraud will be able to prove it.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned US "intervention" in Latin America's internal affairs. He notably pointed to Honduras, saying:

"I don't know how many millions" Washington spent training TSE members. Honduras hasn't recovered from its 2009 coup d'etat "wounds."

Hondurans are able to handle their own internal affairs without US meddling, he added.

"I want to express my repugnance at the declaration of the US ambassador. It makes your blood boil when you see (Lisa Kubiske) meddling in the internal affairs of Hondurans."

She's an imperial stooge. She disgraces the position she holds. So do most other US ambassadors. They represent wrong over right.

Maduro denounced the US media. He called them "maggots nests of the right wing." America has no liberal media.

Major ones march in lockstep. They support wealth, power and privilege. They deplore popular interests.

They control the message. They feature managed news misinformation. They suppress truth and full disclosure. Readers and viewers get none on issues mattering most.

They weren't told about Honduras' stolen election. Television reports practically ignored it altogether. Print ones said little.

They read like bad fiction. Information readers most need to know was suppressed. It happens every time.

The Miami Herald reflects other US print media. It's South Florida's largest broadsheet. It circulates throughout Latin and Central America.

On November 30, it disgraced itself. It gave right wing extremist Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen op-ed space.

She supports fascist regimes. She endorses imperial wars, police state laws and corporate empowerment. Others like her infest Congress like crabgrass besets lawns.

Media scoundrels feature them. They're fixtures on US television. Ros-Lehtinen headlined "Democracy wins in Honduras," saying:

"The people of Honduras have spoken and declared that they want a prosperous future for themselves and their nation."

"I commend and congratulate the Honduran people and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal for carrying out a peaceful and transparent election without major incidents."

"Voters freely chose Juan Orlando Hernandez as their new leaders."

"Therefore, any effort to deem these elections as fraudulent would be contrary to the truth."

Imagine editors featuring this rubbish. Imagine doing it repeatedly. Imagine denying readers the truth. Imagine violating core journalistic ethics doing so. It's longstanding practice in America.

Outgoing Honduran President Porfirio Lobo represents the worst of fascist governance. He lacks legitimacy. Following 2009's coup, a rigged election installed him.

Obama expressed full support. His dirty hands helped oust Manuel Zalaya. In early October, Lobo visited the White House. A bilateral meeting followed. A press release quoted Obama in part saying:

"(I)t's a pleasure to welcome President Lobo to the White House, and this gives us an opportunity to reaffirm the friendship between the American and Honduran people."

Washington bears full responsibility for their suffering. Hondurans get the worst of it. Lobo rule reflects fascist brutality. Expect Hernandez to continue extreme ruthlessness.

"Two years ago, we saw a coup in Honduras that threatened to move the country away from democracy," Obama said. He omitted explaining his direct role.

"(I)n part because of pressure from the international community, but also because of the strong commitment to democracy and leadership by President Lobo, what we've been seeing is a restoration of democratic practices and a commitment to reconciliation that gives us great hope," he added.

Fascist Honduran ruthlessness prohibits "democratic practices." Electoral fraud is longstanding. Voters have no say.

Police states operate this way. America has its own. Washington endorses the worst of their dark side. Fundamental human and civil rights are systematically denied.

Ordinary Americans demand something better. So do the vast majority of Hondurans. Xiomara Castro represents them. Below is the full text of her post-electoral November 29 comments:

"TO THE STREETS!"

"Good evening.

Members of the national and international press, Sisters and brothers of struggle, People of Honduras, Beloved comrades.

Five days after the end of the electoral process in our country, after several public appearances, I am here once again before you, to reiterate that we have found innumerable proof of the disgusting monstrosity with which they are stealing the presidency of the republic from our people of Honduras.

Our position is unwavering and unceasing: while they don't allow us access to the system of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, we will not accept the results emitted by that Electoral Tribunal.

We do not recognize the legitimacy of any government that is the product of this shameful assault.

We will demonstrate that triumph of LIBRE was the will of the Honduran people with its votes on November 24th.

And this triumph is being stolen by those who have turned the electoral system into a farce, by falsifying voting records and adulterating electoral results.

We demand, together with our people, that they allow us to look over the 16,135 original records where the will of the people was expressed.

And for those that show inconsistencies in the recording, we demand public scrutiny of every one of those polling places.

I denounce that this government, that this group that is governing the country, has no respect for the institutions of Honduras.

They know that they have stolen the will of the people and right now they ignore our position and are trying to use force to install a regime that came from fraud, to continue sustaining the brutal violence, the intimidation, the violation of human rights and the continual and unyielding action of the system that impoverishes our people in order to subdue and manipulate them.

They have everything. The power to bully us, attack us and to persecute our people. But they will never make us give up our dignity!

Sisters and brothers, let us peacefully take to the streets that we came from!"

Chants: To the streets! To the streets! To the streets!

"We are going to defend our triumph in every one of the communities where we know the people are awaiting us.

To see that they respect every vote. Every will that was expressed at the polls.

I swear, I swear for my kids, that I will not rest until I see a Honduras that is free, sovereign, independent."

Chanting: Xiomara! Xiomara! Xiomara!

"We are going to make a reality of the dream of Morazan. Resistance and re-foundation.

Here, in the presence of all of you, I ask the party, to launch all of the necessary actions to defend the will of each and every Honduran. In defense also of our candidates for mayor and congress.

All of this, within the parameters of morality, of respect, of the rights of others, and of the policy of non-violence that rules in our party, to continue this struggle, that should not end until this international nightmare that oppresses us, sustained by evil sons of this land who do not deserve to live here, has come to its end.

To our people, to the youth, to the teachers, to the workers, to the businesspeople, home-makers, women and men, I call on all of us to defend our proposal to create a homeland, a democratic state instead of this oligarchic state that oppresses us and that today seeks to subjugate us through this monstrous fraud.

I ask you, let us stand up and place ourselves immediately at the disposition of the orders that will come from our leaders and our general coordinators.

To those who are against freedom and against the people’s sovereignty, I tell you that this struggle has just begun!

They will never be able to defeat our people, we are stronger than ever because we are organized in more than 20,000 collectives nationally.

With the consciousness and the conviction to work through this great network of information and communication to guarantee that not one of these actions of fraud are not reported."

Chants: Long live Xiomara! The people, united, will never be defeated!

"For the memory of those who gave their lives for a better world that is still possible, I swear before you, that we will not cede even for an instant until we carry out our historic mission of defending our people, with our morals, in every battlefield necessary.

We will never stop struggling! We will never forget the atrocious crimes of those who kill our people with hunger every day so that they never, and be completely clear, they will never be able to kill our hopes.

We will defeat them in the streets. We already beat them at the polls. Until the final victory! Thank you very much."

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com

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