When a Coup is Not a Coup

Honduras, June 2009.

President Zelaya has been exiled from Honduras at the request of Honduras's Congress, Supreme Court, Electoral Tribunal, attorney general, and national prosecutor. Even his party wanted him gone. Zelaya was attempting to change the Honduran constitution so he could become El Presidente y El Jefe for life. He is only allowed one term under the law. Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and Fidel Castro are all supporters of this man. Chavez even printed up the referendum ballots and shipped them to Honduras. The military refused to deliver the ballots to the polling places, as is there usual election duties, at the request of the Supreme Court that ruled the referendum illegal. Zelaya insisted on the referendum and was ordered arrested for breaking the law by the Congress and Supreme Court.

I thought a coup was when power transferred in an unconstitutional manner. This appears to have been adjudicated with civilian control of the military intact. So why is the rest of the world calling for Zelaya's return? This seems like meddling to me. I thought meddling in a country's affairs was now passe. Or does that only count when the country is hacking to death its protesters with axes and shooting young girls dead in the street.