Honduran students react to political turmoil in home country
published: November 10 2009 06:20 PM updated:: November 12 2009 03:11 PM

Editor's note: This article has been edited by The Link at Harding University for content.  TNJN.com's version has been updated to reflect the most recent version.

How would you react if you were in a foreign country and suddenly a political crisis started back home? Would it be worse if you had no moral support from your friends, teachers and classmates, because everybody is judging your political convictions?

Some Honduran students say this is their reality as students in the United States.

On June 28, the Honduran military forces followed orders of the Honduran Supreme Court and detained Jose Manuel Zelaya, who was president at the time. Zelaya, many Hondurans argue, was about to conspire in favor of his own reelection with the purpose of installing a communist political system in Honduras.

After being detained, Zelaya was exiled to Costa Rica. At the same time, Roberto Micheletti, Honduras National Congress president and next person in the presidential line of succession, was elected to replace Zelaya. The incident has been widely condemned internationally.

“If Honduran government officials were able to manage national issues efficiently, this international problem would have never happen,” said Flor Ramos, a junior from El Salvador, a country geographically located next to Honduras. “This situation has affected several political and economic agreements with the rest of Central America.”

Senior Tadeo Sequeira said he thinks most of the world does not receive correct information from international news media.

“I believe that the political problem that Honduras is facing right now is a Honduran people matter only,” Sequeira said. “People from other countries just give their opinions based on biased information on behalf of international media.”

Misael Marriaga, also senior at Harding, said he feels powerless regarding what is happening in Honduras and worries people from other countries will make misinformed opinions.

“The only way I find out about the real information is when my family gives me a call,” said Marriaga. “Is not the same to be aware of the truth on behalf the people who is living it, than hearing all the lies CNN and other media provides.”

For most of the Hondurans, what happened in their country was a defense of their freedom. Allans Coello, a junior at Harding, said that most of the people in Honduras see the military coup as a positive event not for the short-term, but for the long-term welfare of the country.

“Improvements and positive results will be evident in at least a decade, when people compare Honduras political system with the communist countries around the world,” said Coello.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in Harding University's The Link. Published under the agreement of the Intercollegiate Online News Network. Click here to see the article in its original form.

 

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