Involvement of Chiquita in the Honduran Coup D'Etat.

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Friday July 31, 2009 18:36

by Brendan Butler - NGO Peace Alliance

The Transnational Chiquita company was actively involved and not for the first time in the overthrow of a Central American democratically elected Government . With its powerful allies in Washington the Obama Administration has not formally declared the ousting of President Zelaya as a Coup D'Etat which would require it under U.S. law to suspend all economic and military aid to the regime.

The coup D'Etat in Honduras originated in the raising of the minimum wage by 60% by President Zelaya. Immediately the business sector led by Chiquita began a campaign against Zelaya and because of his friendship with president Chavez he was further demonised in the media largely controlled by the powerful right wing sector.
Chiquita , formerly known as the United Fruit company , was involved in the overthrow of the democratically elected President Arbenz of Guatemala in 1954 when the President threatened to bring in a radical land reform process which would threraten the vast fruit farms of United Fruit.
Chiquita were prosecuted for paying right wing death squads in Columbia and were defended by the present U.S attorney General in the Obama Administration, Eric Holder.
Chiquita has very powerful contacts in Washington like ex Ambassador like John Negroponte infamously involved in the Iran Contra scandal who now heads the Covington law firm in Washington which represents Chiquita among others.
Hilary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State is only lukewarm in her declared official position of supporting Present Zelaya and refuses to declare Zelaya's ousting as a Coup D'Etat which would oblige her under U. S. to suspend all economic and military aid to Honduras.
Many observers believe that the overthrow of Presiesent Zelaya represents a warning to the rest of Central and Latin America that international business will not tolerate any attempt by any democratic govenment in the future to limit its business influence and reduce its profits.