US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA845

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000845 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE 
INFO EMBASSY QUITO 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PD, WHA/AND, AND WHA/CEN 
STATE FOR DRL/PHD, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PHUM, PREL, KDEM, EC, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REMOVAL OF ECUADOREAN PRESIDENT, 
APRIL 21, 2005 
 
 
1. On 4/21, the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an editorial entitled "The Bed:" 
 
"There are no more `coup d'etats' in Latin America. Popular 
discontent begins with protests and demonstrations, a 
political crisis is produced, the country becomes 
ungovernable, and from that point it is only matter of 
finding the best way out. 
 
They force the president to resign, sending a military 
delegation or a delegation of important people to convince 
him of the inevitable, and the Congress calls for an 
emergency meeting to swear in the next in line. 
 
The OAS meets urgently to issue an announcement that calls 
for a peaceful and constitutional solution. 
 
It happened again in Ecuador.  This time is was Lucio 
Gutierrez's turn.  It so happens that in his 26 months of 
governance, he gave sufficient reasons to motivate the 
uprising revolt.  In order to remove Gutierrez, the people 
initiated the removal of the president of Congress in order 
to make possible the legislative decision.  Afterwards 
Gutierrez had no choice but to look for a country to give 
him political asylum.  But sometimes we wonder why Honduras 
has three vice presidents instead of only one?  Because, the 
vice president only serves for making the bed of the 
president." 
 
Pierce