Media creativity in the aftermath of the 28 June coup against Honduran President Mel Zelaya has generally been limited to such things as CNN’s classification of the military coup as “military-led,” Honduran media classification of tomorrow’s illegitimate elections as a “fiesta cívica,” and the publication of articles in mainstream Honduran newspapers with titles like “Zelayista Guerrillas Train in Nicaragua.” This particular article, published by El Heraldo on 2 August, is accompanied by a photograph of a ragtag group of joggers—some of them barefoot, one in a cowboy hat, and one in all pink—and bears a caption announcing that “Manuel Zelaya’s followers have begun military exercises in fields in Nicaragua.”
More substantive creative endeavors have been undertaken by Dan Archer and Nikil Saval, who have put together a graphic history of the Honduran coup in two parts thus far. The latter part is based on Joseph Shansky’s piece “Smashing the Silence: Community Defiance in Honduras,” first published on PULSE, and can be viewed below (note: all annotations appear in the original version). The first part of the graphic history can additionally be viewed here, and information on other projects can be found on Archer’s website.
Panel 1 – Image in the background is from the Honduras Resists blog. Panel 2 – For evidence, see a recent poll by Washington-based Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, which showed public support for deposed President Zelaya was still strong.
Panel 1 – The ‘historic accord’ quote from the previous panel is from Hillary Clinton, and the speech balloon quote in this panel is taken from here.
Panels 1, 3 – Direct quotes from Micheletti, via CNN. Panel 4 – CAFTA stands for the “The United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement” – based on the same failed neoliberal NAFTA model which promotes privatization and deregulation of key public services. This may explain Senator DeMint’s dislike for Zelaya. Direct quote from Senator DeMint, via Bloomberg News. Panel 6 – Another direct quote from Demint, from his website.
Panel 1 – Direct quote, translated from the Spanish. Panel 2 – Read more. Panel 3 – Statement from DeMint’s website. Panel 3 – Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under Richard Nixon, about Chile prior to the CIA overthrow of the democratically elected government of socialist President Salvador Allende in 1973.
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