Most of you probably know by now that Manuel Zelaya has returned to Honduras and taken up residence in the Honduran embassy. That is unexpected, but neither good nor bad. What is both unexpected and bad is the reaction from the United Nations: Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon just declared that the U.N. “does not believe that the conditions exist to organize credible elections that will bring peace and stability.”
The good thing is that Lula is going to meet with President Obama in Pittsburgh to discuss the crisis. If the U.S. is smart about this, and I have every reason to believe that our government will be, then we will defer to Brasilia. It is probably true that our beloved hemisphere still needs a hegemon to preserve stability and insure prosperity. It is also true that it would be better for my beloved country that said hegemon (a) not be the United States; (b) be a country a lot like the United States; and (c) be at the end of the day somewhat less powerful than the United States.
Considering the low import of this crisis, I would once again recommend exactly the opinion what probably cost me my shot at a State job that I would not have accepted: the United States does not need a Latin America policy ... as long as Brazil has one.
Then again, I have been blindsided by the possibility that this crisis might outlast the Honduran election. So I ask you, gentle readers, what should Washington do about the situation in Honduras? What should Brasilia do?
Comments