Golpe de estado – day 10 11

Waiting, waiting, waiting. A time for me to reflect.

Tomorrow both “presidents” of Honduras are supposed to meet in Costa Rica with President Oscar Arias. I pray that both sides will stop posturing and be open to real negotiation to help bring same peace and stability here. One side says, ''We are going to find a way to reinstate my government, to reinstate my presidency,'' while the other counters, ''We are open to dialogue as long as it does not involve the return of President Zelaya.”

Today I had lunch at Weekends Pizza [best pizza in Central America?] with two Dubuque Franciscans working in Gracias, Lempira, Sisters Nancy Meyerhofer and Brenda Whetstone. It’s always great to meet with them. It’s a chance to share our joys and sorrows, our concerns and difficulties and to pass on what we have learned. Now was a really important time to do this, as the rumors are flying and there is so much confusion.

I had to leave for about half an hour to talk with the bishop and let him know that I had been misidentified and misquoted, as noted in an earlier post. I didn’t want him to get blind-sided. He was most gracious.

The sisters and I talked about many things but one thing we noted was the fear that so many are experiencing. They fear civil war, violence. The fabric of society is so fragile here that many fear it will break even further.

I have noted before the real poverty that so many experience here as well as the sense of powerlessness in the face of the elites and the corruption that keeps them in power. Democracy here was so fragile, I believe, because of the poverty and corruption. It will not be strengthened by a mere political solution; it needs some real changes in Honduras society and economy.

Since the society has been so polarized it will also need the renewal of trust. a first step would be for all parties to stop using provocative or insulting language.

A concern of mine has been the possibility of the suspension of US aid. The US government has suspended $16.5 million in military assistance programs to Honduras. But, according to a US State Department press release that a reader sent me, this will not affect humanitarian programs meant for the people and so “… among other things, all assistance supporting the provision of food aid, HIV/AIDS and other disease prevention, child survival, and disaster assistance, as well as elections assistance to facilitate free and fair presidential elections, is still being provided to the people of Honduras.” That is good, since suspension of all aid would only make the poor suffer more.

And so we wait – not expecting miracles from President Arias, but hoping that something might come of his efforts.

The people want peace; the people deserve justice; the poor must be able to live decently. A negotiated solution will be only a first step – but systematic changes are needed as well as real empowerment of the poor.