Source: http://www.asil.org/insights/volume/13/issue/9/honduras-coup-d%E2%80%99etat-constitutional-clothing-revision
Timestamp: 2015-10-09 01:32:32
Document Index: 242953591

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 205', 'art. 1', 'art. 319', 'art. 2', 'art. 321', 'Art. 322', 'Art. 323', 'art. 242', 'Art. 241', 'art. 239', 'art. 16', 'Art. 18']

Honduras: Coup d’Etat in Constitutional Clothing? - Revision* | ASIL
Home/ Honduras: Coup d’Etat in Constitutional Clothing? - Revision* Honduras: Coup d’Etat in Constitutional Clothing? - Revision* Printer-friendly version
Issue: 9Volume: 13By: Doug CasselDate: October 15, 2009* This version has been revised to reflect the 2003 repeal of Article 205(15) of the Honduran Constitution. See endnote 44. The author is indebted to Mr. Frank Walsh for bringing this oversight to his attention.
The Honduran Congress chose not to await the outcome of the only constitutional remedy â a criminal trial before the Supreme Court.[61] Instead, it summarily removed the president without so much as a hearing. If interpreted as self-executing, Article 239 would do the same. Either avenue of summary removal is inconsistent with Hondurasâ treaty obligations, violative of due process of law, and anti-democratic.
[17] Some officials opposed or did not fully endorse the coup. The human rights ombudsman proposed a national plebiscite on whether to restore President Zelaya to office. Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos de la RepÃºblica de Honduras, Propuesta Para Legitimar el Ejercicio de la SoberanÃ­a Nacional y Del Principio de AutodeterminaciÃ³n de Pueblos, July 1, 2009, available at www.conadeh.hn (last visited July 26, 2009). Unofficial translation: âProposal to Legitimize the National Sovereignty and the Principle
[19] Ministerio PÃºblico, Comunicado, June 30, 2009, Â¶ 3, available at www.mp.hn (last visited June 26, 2009)
[44] Until 2003, art. 205 (15) of the Constitution empowered Congress to â[d]eclarar si ha lugar o no a formaciÃ³n de causa contra el Presidente. . . .â Unofficial translation: â[t]o declare whether or not there are grounds to bring a case against the President . . .â In 2003, this provision was repealed. See Decreto 175-2003, Nov. 28, 2003, art. 1, published in LA GACETA, Dec. 19, 2003, A2, available at http://www.congreso.gob.hn/constituciones/DECRETO%20175-2003.pdf (last visited Aug. 18, 2009).
[45] Constitution, art. 319: âLa Corte Suprema de Justicia, tendrÃ¡ las atribuciones siguientes: . . . 2. Conocer de los procesos incoados a los mÃ¡s altos funcionarios del Estado â¦â Unofficial translation: âThe Supreme Court of Justice shall have the following powers: . . . 2. To adjudicate charges brought against the highest officials of the State . . . .â (as amended by Decreto 175-2003, Nov. 28, 2003, art. 2, published in LA GACETA, Dec. 19, 2003, A2, available at http://www.congreso.gob.hn/constituciones/DECRETO%20175-2003.pdf (last visited Aug. 18, 2009)).
[50] Id. art. 321: âLos servidores del Estado no tiene mÃ¡s facultades que las que expresamente les confiere la ley. Todo acto que ejecuten fuera de la ley es nulo e implica responsabilidad.â Unofficial translation: âPublic servants have no more powers than those which are expressly conferred upon them by law. Any act which they undertake outside the law is null and implies responsibility.â Art. 322: âTodo funcionario pÃºblico al tomar posesiÃ³n de su cargo prestarÃ¡ la siguiente promesa de ley: âPrometo ser fiel a la RepÃºblica, cumplir y hacer cumplir la ConstituciÃ³n y las leyes.ââ Unofficial translation: âEvery public official upon assuming office will make the following promise under law: âI promise to be faithful to the Republic, to obey and to enforce the Constitution and the laws.ââ Art. 323: âLos funcionarios son depositarios de la autoridad, responsables legalmente por su conducta oficial, sujetos a la ley y jamÃ¡s superiores a ella. NingÃºn funcionario o empleado, civil o militar, estÃ¡ obligado a cumplir Ã³rdenes ilegales o que impliquen la comisiÃ³n de delito.â Unofficial translation: âPublic officials are granted authority, are legally responsible for their official conduct, and are subject to the law and never above it. No official or employee, civilian or military, is obligated to follow orders which are illegal or which imply the commission of a crime.â
[51] Id. art. 242: âSi la falta del Presidente fuere absoluta, el Designado que elija al efecto el Congreso Nacional ejercerÃ¡ el Poder Ejecutivo por el tiempo que falte para terminar el perÃ­odo constitucional. Pero si tambiÃ©n faltaren de modo absoluto los tres designados, el Poder Ejecutivo serÃ¡ ejercido por el Presidente del Congreso Nacional,. . . por el tiempo que faltare para terminar el perÃ­odo constitucional. En sus ausencias temporales, el Presidente podrÃ¡ llamar a uno de los designados para que lo sustituya. ...âUnofficial translation (see infra note 52): âIf the absence or incapacity of the President were permanent or indefinite, the Designee selected for that purpose by the National Congress will exercise the Executive Power for the time that remains until the end of the constitutional term of office. But if three designees are also permanently or indefinitely absent or incapacitated, the Executive Power will be exercised by the President of the National Congress,. . . for the time that remains until the end of the constitutional term of office. During his temporary absences, the President may call on one of the designees to replace him . . . .â
[52] The Spanish text refers to a âfalta . . . absoluta.â In this context the word âfaltaâ refers at least to an âabsence,â and perhaps to an incapacity as well. (The immediately preceding article, Art. 241, provides that the president may not [seems that there is a verb missing here] himself from national territory for more than 15 days without congressional permission). In English âfalta absolutaâ would literally translate to an âabsolute absence or incapacity,â which makes little sense. The better translation, I believe, is a âpermanent or indefiniteâ absence or incapacity.
[55] Constitution, supra note 1, art. 239: âEl ciudadano que haya desempeÃ±ado la titularidad del Poder Ejecutivo no podrÃ¡ ser Presidente o Designado. El que quebrante esta disposiciÃ³n o proponga su reforma, asÃ­ como aquellos que lo apoyen directa o indirectamente, cesarÃ¡n de inmediato en el desempeÃ±o de sus respectivos cargos, y quedarÃ¡n inhabilitados por diez aÃ±os para el ejercicio de toda funciÃ³n pÃºblica.âUnofficial translation: âThe citizen who has been the Chief of the Executive Power cannot [again] be President or Designee. Anyone who breaches this provision or proposes its reform, as well as those who assist him directly or indirectly, shall cease immediately in the discharge of their respective posts, and will remain ineligible for ten years for the exercise of any public function.â
[59] Constitution, supra note 1, art. 16 reads: â. . . Los tratados internacionales celebrados por Honduras con otros estados, una vez que entran en vigor, forman parte del derecho interno.â Unofficial translation: âInternational treaties celebrated by Honduras with other status, once they enter into force, form part of domestic law.â Art. 18 adds: âEn caso de conflicto entre el tratado o convenciÃ³n y la Ley prevalecerÃ¡ el primero.â Unofficial translation: âIn case of conflict between a treaty or convention and the law, the former will prevail.â
[64] U.S. Dept. of State, Daily Press Briefing, July 28, 2009, available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/july/126589.htm#honsuras (last visited July 29, 2009). The four visas revoked to date reportedly include those of the judge who issued the warrant to arrest President Zelaya, the current president of the Congress, the Human Rights Ombudsman and the head of the armed forces. Marc Lacey, Honduras: Officialsâ Diplomatic Visas Revoked, N.Y. TIMES, July 29, 2009, at A6; âEsta decision nos deja un saldo positivo,â LA TRIBUNA, June 29, 2009, available at
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