Reader Meets "Honey and Leo" in Honduras

Now my book has 15 reviews on Amazon.com, getting ever closer to 20, which I understand conveys some advantage. A woman identified as “Maddie” who posted a review a while back added to it recently, mentioning that she (and her husband) traveled to Honduras and actually met the couple I call Honey and Leo in the book. She and her husband happened to meet them in San Juan, the nearest village to the ranch. The former PCV who served in El Salvador, mentioned earlier on this blog, also just a posted a review.

Below, the Micheletti government is ordering the expulsion of Argentine diplomats. However, an earlier attempt to expel the Venezuelan ambassador failed when he refused to leave.

Honduras orders expulsion of Argentine diplomats
By FREDDY CUEVAS
Associated Press
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 5:03 PM

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras' interim government ordered Argentine diplomats Tuesday to leave the country in three days, sending a defiant message ahead of a visit by six foreign ministers who are seeking the restoration of ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The Foreign Ministry said the diplomats were ordered to leave in response to Argentina's decision to expel the Honduran ambassador, who has recognized the government of Interim President Roberto Micheletti. It was another signal that Micheletti will not budge on international demands that Zelaya be restored to power.

Argentina is among six countries planning to send their foreign ministers to Honduras in a bid to revive negotiations - a visit that was postponed last week after the interim government said it did not want the Organization of American States chief to join the mission. No new date has been set. It was the second time the interim government ordered the expulsion of foreign diplomats since soldiers flew Zelaya into exile in a June 28 coup condemned worldwide. Venezuela's envoys have also been told to leave but have refused, saying they will not recognize an order by the coup-installed government.

The left-leaning governments of Venezuela and Argentina have been among the most vocal in demanding Zelaya's return to power, warning the coup has set a dangerous precedent for Latin American democracy. Micheletti, who has withstood weeks of diplomatic isolation and the suspension of international aid, insists that Congress legitimately removed Zelaya from office after Zelaya ignored court orders to drop efforts to change the Honduran constitution.

In Nicaragua, meanwhile, Zelaya sought to remind the world of his status as Honduras' internationally recognized president. He appointed a new charge d'affairs to the Honduran embassy in Nicaragua and released a statement vowing to continue "the heroic struggle against the coup-installed regime."