Like most people I was curious about what really happened in Honduras and the background to it. I was pointed towards this piece in Red Pepper, and it rings true:

Honduras is a deeply unequal country, with the richest 10 per cent of the population taking home 43.7 per cent of the national income. In contrast, the poorest 30 per cent take just 7.4 per cent, and just under 40 per cent of the population live in poverty (defined as earning less than double the cost of the basic food basket). Only 4.7 per cent of Hondurans have access to the internet, which might go some way to explaining the social background of Honduran coup cheerleaders on English-language websites such as the BBC.

Since coming to power in 2006 president Zelaya has gradually moved to the left, and at the time of the coup was taking steps to address Honduras’ gross levels of inequality. Predictably, these moves earned him the enmity of much of congress, whose ties to the country’s traditional elites run deep. Zelaya also angered these elites by pursuing a leftist foreign policy, joining the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), an alternative regional trade group composed of nine left-leaning Latin American and Caribbean countries. The arrival of Cuban doctors to provide healthcare to the poorest sectors of Honduran society was met with particular hostility by Zelaya’s opponents. Honduras’ leftward turn also undoubtedly caused significant discomfort among some in Washington, especially at a time when much of Latin America has seemed to move beyond the reach of US political influence.”

But a wider question occurred to me, where are the best on-line political discussions in Latin America?

It is easy enough to find English language ones, but I wanted to read what Latin Americans were saying about the coup d’etat.

I hunted around rather lazily but couldn’t see much apart from this, which sadly seems filled with semi-crazy right-wingers.

So the question for my readers is, do you know of any half decent on-line forums that discuss Latin America in an intelligent way?

I can read Spanish (poorly) and am interested in hearing the views of people actually living in the region now.

5 Responses to “Best Political Discussion on Latin America?”

  1. fleshisgrass Says:

    I’ve been reading Greg Weeks, who displays the most commitment to the law and to getting to the bottom of things I’ve come across. http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/

  2. modernityblog Says:

    thanks, I was reading your blog early, I don’t know much about Zelaya’s background

    Btw, you did some first rate stuff on Iran :)

  3. fleshisgrass Says:

    Thanks. Now thin on Iran, thin on China, thin on Marwa Al Sherbini and the headscarf … Must bad stuff keep happening? I have a job and, sometimes, a life…

    Zelaya – I believe he is an agribusinessman. His dad was convicted of murder but freed in an amnesty. Oh, and he was elected President of Honduras and should have been taken to court or let be. All I know.

  4. modernityblog Says:

    China’s hard cos they censor so much of the news.

    I’ve dug up a few things whilst at HP:

    http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/07/06/us-opposition-to-honduran-coup-is-a-break-with-the-past/#comment-363863


  5. [...] Zelaya Made It In. Posted in Uncategorized by modernityblog on September 22, 2009 8:35 pm Manuel Zelaya, the ousted President, has made it back into Honduras and good luck to him. [...]


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